Crafting Beaded Jewelry with Kids

Come summer, you’ll be looking for all kinds of activities to fill the day and keep the kids' attention. While you might have a few go-to activities to turn to each year, why not try something new too! Grab the kids and indulge in some simple jewelry making crafts that can double as cool accessories and keepsakes? Here are a few unique DIY projects to get you on your way to creating a custom cool piece of jewelry!

Princess necklace with lace

Create this elegant yet simple necklace that can be made using your kids’ favorite colors.

Supplies

1. 4 cups flour
2. 1 cup salt
3. 1 1/2 cup cold water
4. Pink food coloring
5. Toothpick
6. White satin lace
7. Needle
8. Transparent nail lacquer

Directions

• Mix the flour and salt. Add the food coloring.
• Add water and knead into dough. If the dough feels soft and smooth and doesn’t crumble when you roll it, then you are ready to go!
• Pinch out small portions from the dough and knead into small balls. Apply vegetable oil to your hand when you shape the balls.
• Pierce a toothpick through each ball so that you can easily weave them into a necklace later.
• Bake the beads in an oven at 250ºF/120ºC for 2 - 3 hours.
• They’ll be done when they’ll lose all their moisture. Touch with your baking gloves to see if they are hard.
• Remove from oven and let them cool.
• Apply lacquer to finish off the beads with a shiny coat.
• Cut off a foot of satin lace and thread the needle with it. Tie a knot so that it doesn’t slip off the needle.
• Start threading in the beads one after another. Stop when there is just about 2 inches of lace left on either side.
• Knot the lace at both the ends near the beads so that they don’t fall off.
• Your beaded necklace is ready to wear!
• Tie up the lace loosely at the back to hold the necklace together. You don’t need clasps or magnets for your easy DIY beaded jewelry !

Twist and twirl beaded bracelet

A little twist here and a little twirl there will result in this pretty beaded bracelet that can be both given as a gift or worn to an upcoming birthday party in the neighborhood!

Supplies

1. Beads
2. Ribbon
3. Needle and thread
4. Scissors

Directions

• Thread your needle first.
• Starting at the end of the ribbon, put a bead through the needle. Leave enough space at the end to tie on your wrist.
• Fold the ribbon over half of the bead that side. Repeat unless you have stringed them till the end. Follow the image as a reference.