I have three grandchildren , ages 4.5 to 9y/o and I sew a little each day . Give the little one something to play with and tell him/her that they are helping you to sew and train them that way and your sewing time will get longer and you will be teaching them some thing with out them them know it . Example my four year grandson knows squares from rectangles and how to count to twenty and know his basic colors .....................pgmb