How to Make Macaroni Bead Necklaces

Making macaroni necklaces is a great rainy day activity.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Tape
• Food Coloring
• Salad Macaroni
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Cookie Sheets
• Small Plastic Containers With Lids
• String
• Cookie sheets

1. Color uncooked salad macaroni. See "How to Color Macaroni Beads."

2. 

   Cut a piece of string to the length you want your necklace to be.

3. 

   Wrap one end of the string with tape to make it easier to string the macaroni beads.

4. 

   Slide the first piece of macaroni all the way to the end of the string and tie a knot around it to keep other macaroni beads from sliding off the end.

5. 

   Continue stringing macaroni beads until the string is full.

6. 

   Tie the ends of the string together to make a necklace.

7. Have several different colors of macaroni on hand so your child can make patterned necklaces. Patterning is a great activity for preparing children to learn math.

Tips & Warnings

• Have other items on hand to string with the macaroni beads, such as buttons, sequins, plastic beads, cereal loops or candy with a hole in the middle.

• Try a variety of macaroni shapes. Macaroni with larger holes is easier for young children to string.

• Use elastic string to make wrist and ankle bracelets.

• Store colored macaroni in small, plastic containers with lids.

• Once macaroni has been colored, it is no longer edible. Warn children not to put it in their mouths.

• Raw macaroni is a choking hazard for very young children.