This yarn bracelet for kids is great for rainy, cold, or even quarantine days. It is the perfect time filler and keeps kids happy and engaged for quite a while. Plus, it’s easy and uses items you already have around the house!
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(This is a step-by-step tutorial of a fun craft for kids. The idea is not original to me. I got the idea and instructions from Kidspiration.)
My high-energy, high-creativity, high-spirited eight year old asked me one night at bedtime if we could have a craft day the next day. My thoughts were instantly whiny: “A whole day of crafting?? The time….the tediousness….the mess!” I gave the go-to non-committal answer of “we’ll see” (which is just a fancy way of saying, “I really don’t want to tell your cute, hopeful face no but….no”).
I have committed to saying more yes-es. Have you ever practiced “Yes days”? I don’t want to miss out on moments with my kids because I am too lazy to clean up craft supplies or too task-oriented to put aside my to-do list. I’ve got plenty of parenting encouragement with things I’ve learned through the years I’d love to share with you. You can fine them on the Moments page.
With this commitment in mind, I picked out a fun, new craft, and we did it together. It was fun and good for all of our souls. I think you’ll enjoy it too!
This yarn bracelet for kids is geared toward the elementary-aged set. My first grader did it with no trouble, and my older kids enjoyed it. My three year old started with us and could do the tasks required; he just lost interest very quickly. It’s a bit on the longer, repetitive-actions side. For more activities and crafts for kids of all ages, click here for many, many age-apporpriate ideas or look under the Activities tab above.
Not Your Average Yarn Bracelet
Supplies:
- cardboard (I used an empty cereal box)
- a bowl (for a stencil, unless you are amazing at freehand circles)
- scissors
- pen/pencil/marker
- yarn (multi-colored works great or you could use several different solids)
Instructions:
Use the bowl to draw a circle on the cardboard and cut it out. Any size will do. Size of the circle does not matter. I made a medium-ish circle.
Draw 8 small lines around the outside. I told my kids to make them like a clock at 12, 3, 6, and 9 with one more in between each of the lines. Cut a notch on each of the small lines.
Next, use the scissors or pencil to poke a hole in the center of the cardboard circle. It will need to be big enough for 7 strands of yarn to fit through.
Choose your yarn color(s) and cut it into 7 strands of about 18 inches or so each.
Knot the yarn together at one end and push the other end through the hole in the cardboard circle. I found it easiest to bend the ends to make a small loop and twist them together. They poked through the hole perfectly like that.
Loop each piece of yarn through one of the notches. There should be one left empty.
Count 3 notches to the right of the empty notch. Pull that piece of yarn out and place it in the empty notch.
Continue counting 3 from the most recent empty notch and hooking the yarn into the empty space. The braid will form in the center hole in the cardboard.
When your braid has reached the desired length, unhook all the strips of yarn, pull through the hole, and knot on that end.
I tied the ends together with a slip knot(s) so that the bracelet was adjustable.
Enjoy!
My kids absolutely loved watching the braid growing longer and longer through the hole! There were so many oohs and aahs over how pretty the colors of yarn looked as they were braided together. I have already been asked multiple times if they could make more to share with their friends! I call this yarn bracelet for kids a success!
When I first told them we were going to make a bracelet, my kids groaned a little because bracelets are typically very simple, and I don’t know about yours but my kids make a lot of them. They quickly changed their tunes as soon as we started to make the circle templates and they saw that these were not your average bracelets. They were so excited to show off what they had made and have not taken them off since!
For more activity ideas see the posts on Indoor Water Play, LEGO riddles, Caterpillar Races, and Making Use of Downtime. I have so many tested-and-tried activities for every age listed over on the Activities page.
Or if you’re needing some encouragement that you are not alone in this motherhood thing see the posts Is It Worth It, Grace for the Chase, and Creating Meaningful Moments. See my curriculum and book reviews on the Reviews page. I have some of my family’s favorite recipes to share on the Recipes page. And I’d love for you to check out the Chasing Those Moments Shop where I’ve got lots of resources, activity kits, and my books available.
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This yarn bracelet for kids is so simple yet turns out so neat! Did you make this Not Your Average Bracelet with your kids? I’d love hear about it and see pics!
