Dreamcatchers: Creative Craft Workshop for Kids (8 years+)

In this fun and creative workshop, Faline will show you how to make a unique dreamcatcher from home-woven willow hoops, embroidery thread, beads and feathers. Kids who enjoy quiet handcrafts with beautiful materials will enjoy spending an hour in front of the fire making a piece of art to hang up in their own space or give to a loved one.

Dreamcatchers are believed to have originated from the Ojibwe people, an Indigenous tribe in North America. They have a longstanding tradition of weaving dream catchers using willow hoops, sinew, and feathers. Native American dreamcatchers were traditionally used as talismans. They aimed to protect sleepers, especially children, from bad dreams, nightmares and evil spirits. Native Americans believed that at night the air was filled with dreams, both good and bad. They would hang the dream catcher over their beds. They had to be careful that daylight could reach it. As its name suggests, it attracts and then catches all kinds of dreams and thoughts in its web.

The beautiful dreams then pass through the threads and slide down the feathers to reach the sleeper and comfort him. Bad dreams, on the other hand, are trapped in the web and then destroyed, burned by the daylight. Having Dreamcatchers at home can also encourage children to talk more openly about their emotions when parents enquiry about their children’s sleep.

This session is creative, 100% hands-on and not at all messy :) Please note this is a drop-off (kids only) workshop.

Limited to 10 children (8 years and up). Sponsorships are available (just ask). Bookings essential!

This workshop is proudly sponsored by the Riverside Community Trust. Please contact Tanja (at education@riverside.org.nz) for workshop questions or to ask about sponsorship options.