This pillow case project is a good one to start with:http://youtu.be/NLnrC9yo8tY

I worked with my grandchildren from an early age. One, now at 14, has 3 bed quilts and sews with our wounded soldiers quilt group.

I started them on pillowcases, simple totes and then a simple block quilt.

For clothing, we started with pajamas. simple pull on pants and over the head top. Didnt matter if the seams were not perfect, they could wear them with pride.

another pair of pajamas they made with pull on pants, and a T-shirt from Joann's machine embroidered with a design that was in the print of the pants.

I think its great everyone is teaching their grandchildren and others this age old art. I have been sewing most of my life, and my daughter was never interested. But my granddaughter is, and I have begun to teach her. Last year we worked on little quilts, with her Girl Scout troop. They took them to the elderly for lap cover ups.

I'd say pillowcases, maybe rag quilts, or small doll quilts or blankets. Maybe those self binding receiving blankets, or simple tote bags.

I teach Home & Careers skills to 8th graders at a local public school. In my sewing section, I start by teaching them how to thread a needle and do hand sewing stitches like running or gathering stitches, hem stitches, small quilting type stitches, etc. Then I teach them how to sew on buttons, both types, with and without a shank. (This will come in handy for the rest of their lives). From there we go on to make a hand sewn quilted potholder -- this takes about 8 days of 40 minute class periods to complete. After that we move to machines. We start first by stitching on paper. There are mazes, curves, angles, etc that you can probably find online to use for practicing stitching (needle only, no thread). This will gain them control with electric foot pedal, etc. Next we move on to learning how to thread a machine and then we practice different size stitches on a scrap piece of muslin. After they learn some of these basics a small pillow or apron or bag they can carry stuff in is good. We make a fleece hat using a pattern and it fringes up on top of head when we tie a scrap piece of fleece around it. I think girls would like a bag to carry to the beach! Since I teach almost 400 kids a year over a course that runs 10 weeks, including boys, the process is challenging. I think if you find something they will use they will have more fun making it.

Several years ago I taught a summer class for children through Home Extension. They each made elastic waist shorts and appliqued a piece of the shorts fabric onto a purchased t-shirt. Then each made a baseball-type cap with a bill. The outfits turned out well.
To stabilize the bills of the caps we cut a bill-shaped piece from a gallon milk carton.

I have taught 3 grandkids already. I start out teaching them to sew on paper that (no thread) I make different lines, swirls, circles, etc on it so they get the feel & idea on how to run the machine safety 1st is always the issue. After they can do that then they can make simple pot holders I start 10 x 10, top, filling, bottom & a button in the middle they also learn to "whip stitch" the last hem by had not perfect but giving them the feel of things. Sausage pillowcases are very easy 2 seams & they're done. Funky bags to hold their treasures in made of whatever fabric scraps they want. Teaching them to iron I have 2 rules, 1. steam away 2. hands down or in the pocket my 5 1/2 yr old grandson iron scraps & loves it he can't wait to sew. Have fun & patience & they'll do fine :-)

Read what I wrote: 'kids have a hard time later on'. Not that they never will., Geesh.

Tote Bags...

Okay, so it's more akin to saying kids who don't walk early, will have a hard time running a marathon.

Oh, don't mind me; I'm just being a brat. :p I do disagree, though. While we can help children practice their fine motor skills, it really boils down to nature and development of the individual child. I don't believe children are physically penalized in any way, just because they don't develop these skills early/ahead of the norm.