Fidget toys are a great way to keep our hands busy, but sometimes they can be too loud or distracting for the classroom. This fidget bracelet is quiet and great for when you need something to help you focus at school. This fidget bracelet is also a great tool for helping us relax by reminding our bodies to take long deep breaths each time we move one of the beads down.
Supplies:
Pony Beads (or any round bead with a large hole)
String or Yarn (non-stretchy)
Scissors
Tape
Activity Steps:
Step 1: First things first, gather all of your supplies and find an open and flat space to work on!
Step 2: Next, grab your string! To make sure that you have enough string for your bracelet, you will need to measure it out. To do this, take one end of the string and hold it in one hand. Take the hand that is holding the end of the string and stretch it out and to the side of your body. With your other hand, follow the string back towards your body until the string hits your chest.
Step 3: Once you have measured out how much string you will need, go ahead and carefully cut your piece of string.
*Tip: This step can be tricky. Try asking an adult to cut the string after you measure it out!
Step 4: Now that you have your piece of string cut, take both ends of the string and place them together to fold in half! Your piece of string should have the two ends lining up together and being the same length on both sides. On the other end should be a loop that looks like the letter U.
Step 5: The end that looks like the letter U is the end that we are going to pinch together and tie a knot to create a small circle in the string! You want your knot to be about a pinkie finger's length below the circle so that you have enough room to tie off your bracelet at the end.
*Tip: An easy way to tie this knot is to pinch the end of the string that makes the letter U with one hand and with the other hand grab the strings just below it. Then cross them over each other (creating a hole) and slide the end with the letter U through the hole. Sliding up the knot to be a pinky finger’s length from the end.
Step 6: This next step is all about the tape! Take the end of the string that you just tied the knot and tape it down to a flat surface. This will help hold your string in place when you put the beads on. You should have the end of your string with the knot taped down, and the other end with the two strings hanging below it.
Step 7: Now it is time to decide what color beads you would like to use! You can make a pattern (red, blue, red, blue), all one color, or choose to do all different colors. I recommend picking out 6 or 7 beads to make your bracelet.
Step 8: Once you have your beads chosen, take one bead and thread the left string through the hole in the bead, crossing it over to the right side. Then thread the right string through the hole in the bead, crossing it over to the left side. This will make a criss-cross- pattern where the strings cross to hold the bead in place! Once both strings are through the bead, carefully slide the bead up.
*Tip: If the string is hard to pass through the hole of the bead, try using a small piece of tape to wrap around the end of the string. This will help the string not be so floppy when you are pushing it through the bead!
Step 9: Now you just repeat step 8 until you have used all 6-7 of your beads. Make sure to leave a small amount of space in between each bead so that they have room to move later on.
Step 10: After all of your beads have been threaded onto your bracelet, it is time to tie off the end. Leave a space about two finger lengths down from the last bead you have on your bracelet, then take your two strings and tie them together to make your final knot.
Step 11: Finally, grab a friend or adult and have them tie your bracelet onto your wrist and cut off any remaining string that is left-over! Now you have a custom fidget bracelet! Use it to help you focus by moving the beads up and down the bracelet. You can even use it as a calming tool for when your emotions get too big by taking a long deep breath for each bead that you move!
~Made by Mollie L.