Bead Necklaces For Children

In all the continents of the world little children, boys and girls, are being decorated with bead necklaces on special occasions like birthday parties, marriages and religious festivities. African Zulu baby girls wear beads even before clothes!

It is not true that bead necklaces are only for women and girls. Only in today's western world man are barred from it, and I think much to their regret.

In some cultures it is/was customary to put on babies and toddlers bead necklaces made of specific materials like coral and amber, as a protection against disease and other misfortune.

Blue beads and amulets worn as charms are widely used in the Middle East against the so called Evil Eye. The preference of blue beads, particularly blue eye beads to avert evil spirits, appears to be of historical and cross-cultural significance. Blue beads of turquoise, glass, faience or plastic are also frequently pinned to children's clothing in the former Yugoslavian countries, Turkey and Greece.

There are no official standard lengths for necklaces for children, -a short necklace for a grown up is a long one for a little person- but there are some lengths which are being used for kids in general:

For toddlers up till around the age of four 12" (30 cm) is a good length, and furthermore the lengths of 13.5" (34 cm), 15" (38 cm) and 16" (40 cm) , depending on the age and body measurements of the individual child.

Necklaces for little children should be made of unbreakable materials like plastic and wood.

In contrast to all other necklaces, those for little children should be strung on low quality thread or elastic so the child will not be strangled if it should be hooked while playing. Thus no fisherman line or the so called "tiger tail". The latter is a kind of plastic coated metal thread for jewelry purposes.

I should not give a child a necklace under four or even five years of age. In fact, avoid children to wear a necklace at all, especially when playing. It prevents a lot of sorrow. It is dangerous for the child as well for the necklace, and don't give your granddaughter your grandma's real antique seed pearl necklace, how cute it may be, the chance she will lose it is real too.

A short necklace for a grown up is a long one for a little person and don't give your granddaughter your grandma's real antique seed pearl necklace, how cute it may be, the chance she will lose it is real too.

As children (and not only little children) tend to suckle on their necklace, do not give them necklaces made of seeds, beans and the like. Among these materials from nature are very poisonous ones. Furthermore, beads made from painted wood or glazed clay from "primitive" or unknown origin may be colored with pigments which may contain toxic compounds of lead, arsenic, chromium, mercury, and other substances. So think about the country of origin of the beads and look for the words "non toxic".

In contrast to these poisonous beads there exist very tasty ones, the candy necklaces. These are made of mostly pastel colored tiny candies with a hole in it, strung on a round elastic thread. These necklaces you have to look for among chocolates and toffees and other sweets at your grocery shop around the corner. As a gift to the youngsters their success is for sure, you will see more and more of the thread and the dentist's bill go to the parents.