fresh off her 2012 Handmade Olympics GOLD medal (where her gorgeous wooden stacking bowls were voted favourite eco-goodie!) , gail of *bright life toys* is sharing a fun & fabulous lacing beads DIY with us today! you'll just love this easy & charming project, as well as adoring the creative play for creative kids toys in gail's gorgeous, bright & beautiful handmade shop. too!
yay to handmaking with kids!
and yay to beautiful handcrafted toys for kiddies, too!
bright life toys
MAKING LACING BEADS with the KIDS!
Materials Needed - (these can all be found at your local craft store)
-non toxic craft paint in a variety of colors
-paint brushes
-wooden beads in a variety of sizes
-a length of ribbon, shoe string or yarn
-someplace to set the beads while they dry (I used an old pie plate)
-plate (or palette, if you want to get fancy)
-nontoxic wood sealer*
........................
Lacing beads help a
child to learn colors, shapes and sizes. They help to develop fine
motor skills and coordination. Your little one will enjoy learning to
sort, count and thread while playing with his / her lacing beads!
Due to the sizes of the pieces, I recommend this set
for children 3+ or those that no longer mouth their toys. If the chosen
beads are small, they can pose a choking hazard.
Wooden
beads come in all shapes and sizes. For an easier set, use larger beads
with a larger threading hole. For a more challenging set for older
children, use smaller beads with a smaller threading hole.
........................
TWO: Dip the brush in the paint, and begin to paint each wooden bead. Allow your child's creativity to truly shine!
THREE: When the bead is painted, set it on its end on the pie plate to allow it to dry.
FOUR: Allow the beads to dry for 3 hours, or until paint is dry to the touch.
FIVE: When
the beads are dry, it is time to seal them. You have a couple of
options - you can use a nontoxic wood sealer, which will make your paint
shiny and protect it from color transfer or you can use beeswax wood
polish. The choice is yours. The wood sealer can be found at local craft
shops in the craft paint section.
If choosing to use a wood sealer, gently brush it on
using a paint brush. This should be a grown-up job, as it can be messy.
Set the beads on their ends once again to dry. Let dry overnight.
SIX: Once they are dry, it is time to play! Depending on your
child's age and skill, you can use several things for the lacing part of
this toy. Beginners (younger children) can start out with a shoestring.
The end is easy to thread through the beads. More advanced / older
children can use a ribbon or length of yarn. It will be more difficult
to thread the bead onto.
For ease, you can tie a knot around one bead to prevent the others from slipping off.
Enjoy stringing the beads with your child!
.................
thanks so much, bright life toys! be sure to visit gail's other creations around the web, too!
made anything fun with kiddies lately?
tell us about it!
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