Sewing with cards is also called lacing. Kindergarteners can participate in this activity and make something they will be proud of. Purchase a set of blank rectangular lacing cards. Give each student a length of yarn and a plastic needle that accompanies lacing kits. Help the class thread their needles with the yarn. Instruct them to sew around the perimeters of the cards. When they are finished, help them tie the yarn in a knot to keep it from pulling out of the holes. Pass out markers and encourage students to write messages to their parents on the cards. Send the cards home with them to give to their parents as gifts. Parents will be proud of this representation of their children’s new abilities.
Purchase a set of cardboard sewing cards that includes at least two of each shape. Give each child two identical cards. For example, give one student two cards in the shape of a fish. Ask them to position their cards so the holes are evenly aligned. Teach them to push the needles through the holes in both cards and monitor them as they sew all the way around the shapes. Give each kindergartener a handful of cotton or synthetic stuffing. Help them push layers of stuffing between the two connected sewing cards to create a three-dimensional object. Encourage them to stand their creation upright on a shelf at home as a reminder of their accomplishments.
Hand out square pieces of cardboard to students. Give everyone a marker so they can draw designs to sew. For example, kindergarteners can drawn animals, smiley faces or write the first letters of their names. Collect the cards and use a hole punch to add holes to the designs. Place the holes at 1/2-inch intervals to make it easy for students to connect them with stitches. Return the cards to the students and hand out plastic sewing needles and yarn. Instruct kindergarteners to sew around the edges of their unique designs.
Printing your own cutouts saves money and allows children to be involved in every aspect of their sewing projects. Visit an online source that offers free printouts of lacing cards, such as allfreecrafts.com. Allow students to gather around the computer as you peruse various designs. Ask the class to select two or three favorites. Print out one image for each student and pass them out to the class, along with pieces of cardboard and glue. Instruct students to glue the images to the cardboard. When the glue dries, assist them in punching holes at the dots designated on the printout images. Help them thread their plastic needles and sew around the designs with yarn.