ISO instructions to make dream catchers

[emptyspool]

Hi,
My son is teaching English in Japan. One of the Japanese teachers wants to teach her first graders to make dream catchers and I will send some supplies.

Do you have a reference for instructions for something simple to make....after looking on line I see that some of these can be very sophisticated so I thought maybe someone has done these with kids at school or camp and could give me a heads up!

Thanks.

[sparrowgrass]

Oriental Trading Post has some kits. They are not authentic looking, but would be ok for first graders.

[sneezles]

You could also check with your local BSA office as it is something that is usually taught to Cub Scouts at day camp in the summer...all 3 of mine made dream catchers a few times in their Scouting days.

[sparrowgrass]

I made them for Christmas ornaments one year, out of fresh twigs, dental floss, and beads. (Native Americans would use sinew instead of floss :rolleyes: ) I strung the beads on the dental floss before I wove the web, spacing the beads out like dew.

http://www.shiningspirits.com/how1.htm has instructions, but doing it that way might be a bit difficult for first graders.

BTW, dream catchers came from the Ojibwe people and I love the story. The dream catchers are hung above the beds of babies. Bad dreams have long spidery legs that get tangled in the web. When daylight comes, the bad dreams die in the sunlight.

Good dreams are like dew--they collect on the web, and drip down the feather that hangs below onto the baby's head.

Some Ojibwe people are very offended by the selling of dream catchers, because they are sacred objects. Some are not.

[emncar]

I made simple ones with my girls using those embroidery hoops, embroidery thread, yarn, feathers, and beads.
Here is a link to the hoops: http://www.dickblick.com/zz669/06/

I think I spent less than $1.00 per child.


I just saw a kit yesterday at Hobby Lobby for a dream catcher that was a hoop, beads, feathers, and strands of leather. I think each kit was $4.99 and wouldn't end up being more than 4 inches in diameter.

[emptyspool]

Thanks for the responses....I will take a longer look at the instructions you sent, sparrowgrass, to see when I get home from work. Also thanks for the meaning....I think the teacher there must have some interest in this and I will send your message on to my son. Fascinating....wonder if one would work for me now....

I had thought about buying a kit to see how they were made then put more kits together so I am glad to know they will be at the hobby stores. I am off tomorrow and will check it out too.

I know my kids made some simple ones to when they were small. I went to visit my son once and watched the preschoolers doing origami....pretty interesting...so I think they will enjoy the handwork.

Thanks again for the help.