Activity:
Paper Clip Bracelet
The only thing more fun than making an art project is wearing one! Transform ordinary metal paper clips into wearable jewelry by adding beads and linking the clips together in a pattern. This project is a great introduction into jewelry making.
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What You Need:
- Small metal paper clips
- Small glass beads
What You Do:
- Help your child figure out how many paper clip links will be needed to fit her wrist by having her link together a row of paper clips and testing it against her wrist. Make sure there's a little slack so it won't be too tight or uncomfortable.
- When she's figured out how many links she'll need, have her remove the first and last link and set them aside. These will be the clasps to close the bracelet.
- Count how many paper clips are remaining in the linked bracelet and set it aside.
- Count out enough paper clips to make two more rows of the same length. Do not have her link these yet.
- Unlink the first linked bracelet.
- Starting with one paper clip at a time, have her "string" the paper clip with desired amount of glass beads.
- As she finishes beading each paper clip, have her link it to the previous one. When she finishes a row, have her set it aside and begin the next row.
- When all rows are beaded and linked, have her link the ends of all three rows to one paper clip clasp.
- Repeat this with the other end, linking the rows to the other clasp.
- She can now put the paper clip bracelet on her wrist and link the two clasp paper clips together to complete the bracelet.
Helpful Tip: Create a special color palette for your bracelet by limiting the colors you use. Themed bracelets, such as 4th of July, could be restricted to red, white, and blue beads.
