Making Kid's Craft Beads for Jewelry

These simple beads can be made from ingredients already in your kitchen, and you can either color them with food coloring, or your kid's can paint them when they are dry to create their own custom beads for jewelry.

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup salt
1/2 cup water
food coloring

Combine flour and salt together in a bowl, then add water. Mix well using your hands. Add a little bit more flour or water as needed. Divide the mixture into separate balls (as many balls for as many colors as you want). Add a few drops of food coloring on each ball, and knead until combined.

Roll small amounts of dough in your hand for each shaped bead. Try ovals, spheres or even oblong shapes. You can also use a knife (with a parent's help!) to make shapes such as squares. Using a toothpick, prick a hole all the way through each bead. If you are making larger beads to be strung with yarn, use a straw for the whole instead. Air dry for a few days on a cookie sheet. Paint with acrylic if desired and they are ready to use for jewelry.