Teaching Kids to Tie

[PeterSL 0]

Northern Lights Fly Fishers, the Edmonton, Alberta chapter of Trout Unlimited Canada, is trying to develop a free handout for parents and other adults on tips for introducing children to flytying. The club frequently offers kids the chance to tie a fly - usually a Woolly Bugger – at Sportsmens’ shows, retail outlets, scout groups etc. but would like to have something for them or their parents to take away with them that would help get them further involved in the art. The intent is also to offer this handout to other organizations, schools, clubs etc. for their use at no charge wherever they may be. To enhance the value of this we would much appreciate your experience, your insight and your thoughts - anything that you’ve found useful or think might be in terms of materials, where and when to start, tools, strategies, patterns etc. - on what might motivate and enable a boy or girl to become and enjoy being a tyer.

Please post any ideas that you're willing to share.

Thanks in advance

 

[McFlyLures 0]

Northern Lights Fly Fishers, the Edmonton, Alberta chapter of Trout Unlimited Canada, is trying to develop a free handout for parents and other adults on tips for introducing children to flytying. The club frequently offers kids the chance to tie a fly - usually a Woolly Bugger at Sportsmens shows, retail outlets, scout groups etc. but would like to have something for them or their parents to take away with them that would help get them further involved in the art. The intent is also to offer this handout to other organizations, schools, clubs etc. for their use at no charge wherever they may be. To enhance the value of this we would much appreciate your experience, your insight and your thoughts - anything that youve found useful or think might be in terms of materials, where and when to start, tools, strategies, patterns etc. - on what might motivate and enable a boy or girl to become and enjoy being a tyer.

Please post any ideas that you're willing to share.

Thanks in advance

 

videos might be good. Even little kids now Cary around iPhones... Make a YouTube channel, quality one. If it's just for kids, make cool graphical intros and such. Gotta remember, kids now have the attention span of a gold fish. You make it boring, they won't watch, no matter how quality you tie the flies. Think MTV not Bob Ross...

 

I think though it also depends on the age range. But for the young kids, pop up books and musical books could keep their attention.

[rstaight 0]

I have helped with the tying portion of the Fly Fishing merit badge for the local scout district. As McFly said, keep their attention. One time when the gentleman doing the merit badge was talking one of the boys took one of my vises apart. Luckily we had another.

 

The fly fishing club I belong to used to hold monthly tying sessions at one of big box sporting goods stores in the area. Our club tying box always has a few of the inexpensive tying kits you can get. You know, the ones with just the vise and tools in the little wooden box. We would invite the folks walking by to set down and give it a go. Usually it was a young lady or young man taking it us up on it, though plenty adults did also. If the young lady or young man really expressed an interest, you can tell, one of tool kits went home with them, with the parents permission of course. Some of them even came back.