I have an absolutely wonderful 6 year old daughter. Really. However beading with her around the house can sometimes be difficult to say the least. I think the worst bead spill I ever had was her fault. She spilled and mixed 1000 2mm seamless sterling rounds with 2 packages of silvertone crimp beads!

Since then, I´ve come up with some ways to let her be involved, but not so involved I can´t get any beading done. So I thought I´d share some of the things I do with her in case any of you have the same kind of distractions running around!

For ages 3-8
This one has been a life saver for me. I buy bags of inexpensive plastic pony beads, mixed colors, and give them an ice tray and some bags and ask them to sort them,

Then you can give them plastic lacing, pipe cleaners or elastic cord and let them string necklaces, bracelets and keyrings for themselves. Bracelets with pony beads and a keyring attached make nice grandparent gifts. Silver or gold pipecleaners and beads make earrings (make a hook to hang over the ear), a nice rearview mirror ornament, or crowns. The possibilities of beads and pipecleaners are endless!

6-12
Memory Wire!!! For my 6 year, I have a bag of faceted plastic pink beads, mixed colors again she had to sort out. When she starts " Mommy! Mommy! What are you making? That light is sure bright! NO! not that color!" I give her the pink beads, and bend one end of a circle of memory wire, and let her start stringing. She enjoys it. Also seed beads on ring wire make wonderful fashion doll necklaces!

5-12
The computer or graphpaper and colored pencils. Let them graph out a design! I let Emily graph this design in Leah Kramer´s freeware bead program.

Also for windows, check out Light Relief, which is a simple wonderful little freeware kids program that works like a lite brite! Remember those?
I hope this helps you with beading with children in the house! If you have any more suggestions, post them in the forum!

Gift recommendations for children

24 months-3 years old

Lacing Beads
Wonderful Beads with graphics for learning motor skills and recognizing things like animals. (comes in a box for easy cleanup)

5-12 years old
Rose Art´s Cool Bead Case
Nice plastic case with beads and supplies for children
Gelly Friendship Fashions
Actually this is more for 6 and up, embroidery floss, supplies and instructions for making friendship bracelets in pretty pastel colors

8 and up
LuckyBug Flipflops
A kit to make a pair of beaded flipflops
Wacky Watch Kit
All the supplies to make a safety pin and beads watch. Comes with a smiley face watch face.
Tutti-Frutti Safety Pin Bracelet; Kit
Exactly what it says, a kit to make bracelets from safety pins.