Can kids participate in Welcome Blanket?

Yes! Everyone can be a part of Welcome Blanket!

Welcome Blanket is an excellent project for people of all ages. Classes have been utilizing the project as a way in to discuss immigration, American history, craft, and citizenship. Here are some examples:

Chicago, Illinois

2nd Grade Art Learning Unit

This first Welcome Blanket curriculum was for the second grade at the University Chicago Lab School in Chicago, IL. Students worked on embroidered self-portraits. It was part of an incredible arts curriculum that included learning about Gees Bend, craft, and portraiture.

Castle Rock, Colorado

6th Grade ESL

Sarah Hodnett’s class was looking for a way to send blankets to recent immigrants and came across Welcome Blanket Project. All the kids in the class are children of recent immigrants and they wanted to help others feel welcome. Welcome Blanket gave some of the students the opportunity to talk with their parents for the first time about their family history and immigration story.

Brookline, Massachusetts

4th Grade

Here is one from Brookline, MA's Coolidge Corner School's 4H. Students alone can trace their backgrounds to over 25 different countries.

Last week, 4H participated in a wonderful project that ties in nicely with our social studies immigration unit: the Welcome Blanket project!

We were thankful to A’s mom for coming in to tell us about the project and helping us craft our own welcome blanket to people who come into this country. We thought of our own immigration stories, what it feels like to go somewhere new/unknown, and what welcoming advice we could give those coming to our country.

Our super cool no-sew blanket had a quirky donut-eating shark and was crafted together by the hands of 4H students!

Chicago, IL
7th Grade Art Class

This gorgeous example is one of Ms. Tolbett’s art classes. The class approached the project with a theme of flowers and their associated meanings to create a work to welcome a new neighbor.
Utilizing a combination of embroidery and painting on fabric, Ms. Tolbett guided her art class to create a beautiful and cohesive work. It has been a Skirball exhibition “fan favorite”.