Make a Papier-Mache Bracelet

See more activities in: Preschool, Beads & Jewelry

What preschooler doesn't love the hands-on gooiness of papier-mache? This papier-mache bracelet is simple to make, and the result is truly stunning! Your preschooler will love adding her own personal touch to the piece, and she'll practice color recognition and develop those fine motor skills in the process.

It's true—papier-mache can be very messy, especially when an excited preschooler is involved. But with a little preparation and forethought, your fun can be blissfully worry-free: just lay a few sheets of newspaper over your work surface and have your child wear a smock or old shirt. Clean-up will be a snap!

What You Need:

  • Cardboard strip about 12" (30 cm) long and 1/2" (1.5 cm) to 2" (5 cm) wide
  • Wallpaper paste
  • Newspaper torn into small strips about 1/2" x 2" (1.5 cm x 5 cm)
  • Strips of thin white paper
  • Stapler
  • Supplies for decorating the bracelet: tempera paints, felt pens, or liquid starch and colored tissue paper
  • Scissors
  • Clear gloss enamel (optional)

What You Do:

  1. Help your child measure a cardboard strip bracelet around her wrist. Make sure the bracelet is large enough to fit over her hand and allow a little extra space for the thickness added by the papier-mache.
  2. Remove the strip from your child's wrist, overlap the ends, and staple.
  3. Help your child dip a strip of newspaper into the wallpaper paste and wrap it around the bracelet. Repeat this step until the bracelet is covered with at least three layers of newspaper strips.
  4. Cover the bracelet with strips of thin white paper until the newspaper is completely covered and does not show through. The paper should adhere without extra paste, but feel free to add extra paste if necessary.
  5. Let the bracelet dry for several days. Try hanging the bracelet on a cardboard tube, clothes hanger, or clothesline for faster drying.
  6. When the bracelet is completely dry, help your child decorate the bracelet by painting it with tempera paint or drawing designs on it with felt pens. You can also cover the bracelet with liquid starch and pieces of colored tissue paper.
  7. Let the bracelet dry again. Once dry, you can coat the bracelet with clear gloss enamel for a shiny, protective finish (optional).

Now your child has a snappy, homemade bracelet to sport around town!