kids quilt carnival
 

Hi. I'm in charge of the kids area of our up coming quilt show in June. I would love ideas for kids (ages3-teens) quilting activities or quilting games. We are planning for groups, where we will have a short talk about quilts, then divide up for different activities (something simple to hand quilt, a hand made block using fabric with steam a seam and fused onto a block, and something else..), and finally a tour of select parts of the quilt show. We also want activities that kids can do do when they come in with their parents. All activities will be supervised and parents must stay with their kids. Ideas??????

Checkers and snakes and ladders quilts? The quilts are the boards and make the checkers from small quilted circles or little square pin cushions. The same for the markers for the snakes and ladders boards.

I would print up a bunch of HSTs on cardstock, like 3X3". Add some 3X3 squares and let them design a quilt block out of paper.

If using cardstock, be sure to laminate to make them a bit more durable.

Another way is to cut the shapes out of foamcore or coroplast. Nice and easy to move around and slide together. Do shapes other than HSTs ... anything that would be in a quilt block. It is good to have some quilt blocks in view, made with the same pieces materials, so that the ones who are not so adventurous, have a pattern to follow. After copying what you have, and/or depending on their age and abilities, they may be ready to make their own designs.

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Another that can work well is to have a small quilt set up in a frame and let them experience quilting!

Whatever you do, don't try flower pounding. One of our guild members did this with the kids who came to a quilt show several years back, and she is still getting complaints about the noise. :rolleyes:

If you have the resources, pillowcases are fun and quick and something great to take home with them.

That is a wide age range! Think about a variety of activities for the different ages. Something that a 3 year old would enjoy will bore a teenager to death! Coloring pages of quilt designs is a good activity for the little ones. Sewing a block is a good activity for older pre-teens, maybe 8 and up. Design activities could work for older children. Appliqué by hand might be a good option for teens though you might want to make sure there is a machine option too. I have done "survival sewing" with teens - hems, buttons, and seam repair. It is particularly nice if they take home a little sewing kit - needle, a bit of thread.

Pam

Oh, I think it sounds so fun.

What about quilt block inspired mosaics?....made with glue and colored stones (or different colored beans/corn/rice) for the littlest ones. No sharp objects !