Make Noodle Necklaces!

What You Need:

• Uncooked pasta in assorted shapes, all with holes in the middle for stringing. Wagon wheels, ziti, and other wide, tubular pasta shapes are perfect.
• Sturdy string, such as fishing line or bead string available in craft stores.  Simple kitchen twine will work as well, but limp string can be harder for little hands to manipulate.
• Scissors
• Markers (optional)

What You Do:

1. If you want colored pasta, let your child color the noodles with markers and let them dry before she starts stringing (or you can simply buy colored pasta available in most grocery stores).  Note: If your child decides to color the beads, the ink may run onto clothing or skin even after the noodles have dried.
2. Cut the string to the right size for a necklace, leaving extra length to tie a knot. Make sure to size it generously so your child will be able to easily remove it if it should get caught on something. Do not tie the ends together. Tie one end to a piece of starter pasta. We used a wagon wheel.
3. Use the other end as the “needle” to thread the rest of the pasta. Encourage your child to make patterns. For example, two ziti noodles followed by one wagon wheel.
4. When the necklace is finished, cut off any extra string and tie the other end to the piece of starter pasta.

Now your child a cheap and chic accessory she can present to a loved one or wear herself!