Jewelry Making Ideas for the Kiddos

Jewelry making is a creative activity that can keep your children busy, and it's a great outlet for them to express their artistic abilities. There are many jewelry making kits available on the market, and they contain all the supplies for making jewelry along with instructions. You can also gather your own supplies and give your child the opportunity to select the colors, textures and materials she wants to use. Consider the following options as you prepare to make your own jewelry.

Paper Beads for Little Ones

Start your young children early with the craft of jewelry making by using paper beads. As the name suggests, you can use paper to form beads and string the beads to form a necklace. Wrapping paper or construction paper works well for this project. Cut the paper into triangles and wrap it around a chopstick, knitting needle or like object to leave an opening to pull the "string" through. You'll need glue to hold each bead together. Some ideas for string are yarn and shoelaces.

Basic Pony Bead Bracelet

A bracelet is a popular jewelry that children like to wear, and if your child likes bracelets, show them how to make their own. A basic pony bead bracelet is easy to create. You can make one using a piece of round elastic, scissors and pony beads in the shape they like the best. Pony beads are large enough for children to handle, and they are larger than seed beads used by professionals and experienced jewelry makers. You can find a bag of beads for less than $1 online.

String the elastic cord through the pony bead, at the top and bottom. Be sure to string the cords in opposite directions. You can string enough beads to fit around your child's hand, which are usually no more than 13. A double knot is sufficient to lock the bracelet and keep the beads from falling off.

Wood Beaded Necklace

If you have older children, they may enjoy stringing together wooded beads to make necklaces. You can challenge your children according to their age and ability. For example, you might buy small wood beads for teens, but larger ones for your 8-year old. The smaller the bead, the longer it takes to make the necklace, and it's also more challenging. You can find bulk wood beads at craft stores, and some of them have designs or letters on them. Your children might enjoy making a necklace that spell out their names or yours. You can also encourage them to make gifts for friends and family members.

A fun craft idea for a young child's birthday party is jewelry making. There are ways to include children in the craft who may not wear jewelry. For example, they can use beads to make a key chain instead. You can also plan it as a craft for other events, such as a booth activity at a trade show to promote your own jewelry making business or at a children's event.