So you know I’m a jeweller, but I’m also a mum and that is where I spend most of my time.
Making jewellery can be a really fun learning exercise for children and I’m going to tell you how you can do it with your child for little to no cost.
Threading beads is great for fine motor skills and dexterity. Creative activities fuel imagination and can instil a sense of pride in children as it’s something they can take ownership of.
Here are five ways that you can make jewellery with your toddler-tween.
1. Pasta jewellery
Paint and glitter the pasta tubes and really let them go to town with it.
Alternatively you can pop the dried pasta in a sandwich bag with food colouring and glitter, give it a good squish around and then tip it out and let it dry on cling film over night.
Then let your child thread the “beads” onto very thin elastic. I choose thin elastic for safety as it will break if under tension. It can help to tie one end of the elastic to a spoon or similar so the beads stay on once threaded.
2. Polymer clay
This is how I spent hours of my time as a child. You can make beads of any shape/colour and texture, I used to love to marble the colours. You then bake them in the oven and you have your own unique beads.
3. Foam jewellery
Sheets of foam can be bought in most craft aisles, you can cut out shapes and glue on sequins then stick them to a band of foam which can be fastened with ribbon to make a bracelet or crown!
4. Shell jewellery
This one may take a bit more patience but it’s completely doable and natural!
Comb the beaches to find shells and pebbles that have holes in, you’ll be surprised how many do. Thread them on to elastic and you’ve got your own mermaid jewellery.
5. Recycled jewellery
Head to charity shops or your own jewellery box to find broken/missing or unloved jewellery. Take it apart and mix it up to create something new!