I've been looking for some fun ways to use wool in crafts and activities that promote the development of fine motor skills. Here are seven activities we tried recently.

• Yarn Sticks - this was much more fun than I had expected! Both my three and nine-year-old loved wrapping the wool tightly around the sticks, these are purely decorative but you could pretend they are wands or add faces for people. I tied the wool to the sticks but we could use glue too. 
• Pasting Wool Worms - this is the activity that my three-year-old spent the most time on, simple pasting wool pieces to the card. 
• Threading - we've been using lots of different lacing and threading activities and this one is just slightly different as we are using a light plastic grid for threading. 
• Paper Cup Weaving - I would recommend this for 4-5yrs+,  I've pre-cut the paper cup into strips down to the base. The child weaves the wool in and out of the paper cup pieces, the result is a wool-covered cup that could be given as a gift, perhaps as a pencil holder.  
• Threading on Burlap - this is a simple treading activity using wool on burlap which is secured tightly in an embroidery hoop. With all of our threading activities, we are using large blunt-tipped embroidery needles. 
• Wrapping a Wreath - the child wraps the wool around the cardboard cut out to form a decorative wreath, I love this as it requires the child to use their hands in a different way, my child had to think hard about how to wrap the wreath and which way to move their hands. 
• Wrapping and Threading a Wreath - (pictured below) this is also using a cardboard cut out but with holes punched in it to encourage threading. My child loved this and did it at high speed. This can also be used as a decorative wreath. Next time I will add more holes.

I love to use Rainbow Wool and other multi-coloured wool which gives a nice colourful effect without the young child having to change colours. For older children changing colours and tying knots is all part of the skill development. 

Above is Wrapping and Threading a Wreath. This can be displayed like a dream-catcher or wreath. You can also use a paper plate with the middle cut out.

I would love to add more colours or different types and textures of wool.

Both my three and nine-year-old love making these yarn sticks! 

This rainbow wool has such a lovely texture, it's soft and cozy.

This is a pasting activity that my child can't resist. 

Once the paste dries this is a lovely piece of art that we can display or give as a gift. 

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