Clothing & Textiles – From Fibre to Fabric
How do you make clothes without shops? In this woodland-based workshop, students card wool, spin yarn, weave fabric and experiment with natural dyes from plants and vegetables. Linking science, history and design, this KS1–KS3 session reveals how textiles provide warmth, protection and identity. A creative, hands-on journey from fibre to fabric.
Learning Objective
Children will explore how people historically made clothing from plants and animals and experience the processes of spinning, weaving and dyeing. They'll understand how essential textiles were to survival and civilisation.
Curriculum Links
KS1 (Ages 5–7)
- Science: Identify natural materials (wool, cotton); observe simple physical changes.
- History: How people in the past made clothing.
- Art & Design: Explore materials, texture and colour.
KS2 (Ages 7–11)
- Science: Compare natural and synthetic materials; explore changing states (e.g. dyeing).
- Design & Technology: Evaluate materials; basic textile techniques.
- Geography: Resources from different parts of the world (cotton, flax, wool).
KS3 (Ages 11–14)
- Science (Chemistry): Physical and chemical changes in dyeing; properties of fibres.
- History: Technological advancement in textiles (e.g. wool trade, Industrial Revolution).
- DT/Art: Explore fibre arts and functional design.