Gumball Bead Jewelry

What You Need:

• Ribbon or string, long enough to go around your child’s neck or wrist
• 1 bag or package of gumballs
• Thin knitting needle, safety pin, skewer, or other poking implement
• Optional: Hairspray or craft sealant

What You Do:

1. First, cut a length of ribbon, string, or yarn. Choose a fun pattern or a coordinating color, and cut it long enough to fit around your child's neck or wrist, depending on what type of jewelry she would like to make.
2. Have your child pick out her gumballs. She can use pinks, reds, and whites for Valentine’s Day, or, if she’s making it as a gift, she can use the favorite colors of the person she’s making it for. She can also try a repeating pattern for math practice, or putting the colors in rainbow order (red, orange, yellow, green, etc.).
3. Next, show her how to turn the gumballs into beads. Have your child take the pin, needle, or skewer and slowly poke a hole in one side of the candy, pushing only about halfway through the gumball. Be careful not to squish it! (Parents, you might want to take over for this step.)
4. Turn the candy around and poke another hole on the opposite side so that the new hole meets the hole you made on the other side (if you try to push your poker all the way through, the gum all will likely break). Repeat this process on all the gumballs you will be using.
5. Next, string the gumball beads onto colorful ribbon or string. Tie a knot between beads to keep everything in place. If your ribbon isn't stiff enough, thread it through with an embroidery needle, or push it through the bead with the end of a safety pin. Knot the ends and tie a bow to finish off your necklace or bracelet.
6. If you don’t plan on eating the gumballs later, you can spray the gumballs with a layer of craft sealant or hairspray to make sure the color won’t rub off on skin or clothes.