Friendship Bracelets

An activity that usually draws a great interest from the little girls that I watch is jewelry making. One easy way to get children (both girls and boys) involved with this project is introducing them to making bracelets and necklaces with colored string and beads.

If you are a first time bracelet maker yourself, I’d recommend purchasing a friendship bracelet kit, which you can find online at Amazon.com for very reasonable prices, as well as at a Barnes and Nobles and at other local book stores. If you already know how to make basic designs and feel comfortable teaching them to children in simplified steps I’d say go ahead and give it a try. When I’m beginning this craft with the children I watch, I usually bring my old friendship bracelet book with me so that they can see a static visual of each step in the particular design. For children who seem to be really into the designs, I’ll typically buy them their own book for a special occasion that merits a gift, such as a holiday or birthday.

I’d recommend starting these bracelets with children who are at least 5 years old (kindergarten and up). This activity demands eye hand coordination as well as patience. The “how to book” that comes with each kit generally start with the easy bracelet patterns and gradually increase in difficulty as one gets deeper into the book.