Rooted Childhood is a family resource for families with young children under about 8 years old, though the projects are designed to be enjoyable for kids from 0-99. 

Handicrafts are meaningful projects that have value. They might be beautiful things to decorate our home, they might teach a useful skill that a child can use later on in life, or it might be something that becomes a lifelong hobby. 

Rooted Childhood is a family resource designed to foster connection and meaningful relationships through handicrafts that can be utilized by a wide range of families. Homeschool families, stay-at-home-moms with little ones, families with parents working outside the home, and many other types of families would find value in the Rooted Childhood collection. 

Each month of Rooted Childhood will include an introduction on how to use the Rooted Childhood materials plus 8 simple handicrafts, 3 recipes, and ideas for connecting with your child, including a family celebration or gathering, an original story for young children, seasonal poetry, songs and fingerplays, and picture book recommendations. 

Rooted Childhood aims to provide a wide range of projects using a variety of materials. Skills include finger knitting, embroidery, sewing, cooking, paper crafting, watercolor painting, and more. Projects are designed to add beauty to the home and/or serve a useful purpose. 

Rooted Childhood is designed as a family resource. We encourage you to set aside time to focus on handcrafts each week and work alongside your child. The caregiver should plan on spending time working on projects and allow the child to observe and engage when interested. The child's level of involvement will depend on their ability to focus and fine motor skill development. 

No. Rooted Childhood is not a checklist or a curriculum. It's a process of connecting and creating. Memories aren't made with a checklist, they are made through time. We do encourage you to set aside time each week to work on your projects, but what and how much you complete will vary. The measure of success is not a completed project, but the connections of the heart. 

The projects in Rooted Childhood are designed to make the most of what you already have on hand. No sewing machine or other major equipment required. Some projects do use materials that you may need to purchase, but these materials are  staple tools for a variety of projects. Examples of tools/materials you might consider purchasing are felting needles, wool roving, tapestry needles, glass jars or vases, embroidery hoops, etc. A basic list to stock your cabinet and a supply list for each month is included. 

The projects in Rooted Childhood are designed for beginners. Knowledge of basic sewing, embroidery, and finger knitting is helpful, but not required. Video links are provided for each skill so that you can learn independently and model for your child when working on Rooted Childhood projects. 

Rooted Childhood is a faith-neutral resource. There are opportunities to incorporate your own faith in many of the celebrations and activities, but none of the projects, stories, songs, etc. contain remarkable faith-based elements. Some songs, stories, or poems may contain subtle, indirect references to a matter of faith, but care will be taken to keep this an inclusive resource. 

Rooted Childhood is more than a list of crafts. It's an opportunity to create memories with your child through crafting and connecting. Each month features opportunities to reach your child's heart during those quiet moments in a day including an original story, poems, songs and finger plays, and picture book recommendations. Each month will also feature an idea for a family celebration or gathering that just might become your family's new favorite tradition.