How to Make Costume Jewelry for Kids

Costume jewelry is one option for kids playing dress-up.

For kids, playing dress-up ranges from putting on costumes to raiding closets of adults. Costume jewelry, though not made from expensive gems, may not always be suitable for kids, as items can get broken or lost during play. Creating a kid-friendly set of costume jewelry involves a few easily found craft store supplies and a little imagination.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4- to 1/2-inch-wide ribbon
• Solid gemstones with holes drilled through
• Rhinestones
• Thin gauge wire
• Clip-on earrings
• Plastic watch

Instructions

1. Lay a 24-inch piece of ribbon flat on a table. Using multipurpose glue, attach a large faux gemstone to a coin. Use a coin roughly the same size as the gemstone, so only the outer rim of the coin is visible behind the gemstone. Attach the coin to the ribbon by using multipurpose glue on the back of the coin. Press the top of the gemstone to secure the coin to the ribbon. Tie loose ends of the ribbon together to create the necklace.

2. Cut a 12-inch piece of string. Thread the string through bright plastic gemstones by using the drilled hole found on gemstones from a craft store. Continue adding beads and gems to the string to create the pattern you want. Tie loose ends together to create a bracelet.

3. Start with a pair of clip-on earrings which do not have gemstones or beads attached. Opt for a circular base made of plastic. Use multipurpose glue to attach gemstones to the front of clip-on earrings. To create dangling gemstone earrings, run string through the holes of three to four gemstones and tie the ends to secure in place. Use a multipurpose glue to attach the string of gemstones to the front base of the earrings.

4. Decorate a kid's watch by adding glitter, gemstones, rhinestones or beads. Glue small gemstones around the face of the watch. Use tweezers for better control when working with small gems. Add rhinestones to the watchband by placing small drops of glue with a toothpick. Using tweezers, place small rhinestones all over the watchband to create a glittery timepiece.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep all gemstones, rhinestones and jewelry-making supplies in one box for easy access.

• Never attempt to use glue to reattach gemstones or decorations to jewelry while a child is wearing the piece.