Friendship bracelet ideas for kids who love to trade

A friendship bracelet is a tiny promise you can wear. One says “we’re a team,” another says “inside joke, don’t ask.” We have spent a lot of afternoons at the bracelet table, and these are the ideas that keep kids reaching for one more strand — whether they knot thread, string letters or hang a single charm.

Four kinds of friendship bracelet to try

There is no single right way to make one. Pick the style that matches how much time — and patience — you have today.

• Knotted threadThe classic: strands of colorful floss knotted into candy stripes, chevrons or zig-zags. Slower to make, but this is the one friends keep for years.
• Word braceletsAlphabet beads on stretchy cord. A nickname, a team name or a two-letter code only the two of you understand. Fast enough to make a whole set in one sitting.
• Charm braceletsOne special charm — a heart, a moon, a star — hanging from beads or a chain. Make two that match and split them between you.
• Snap-togetherPop beads press together with no string at all, so younger brothers and sisters can make one to trade too. Our Unicorn Pop Beads are marked 4+ on the box.

Knotted patterns, from easiest to proudest

How to tie the forward knot every pattern uses

1. Line up your colorsCut each strand about as long as your arm from fingertips to shoulder. Knot them together at the top and lay them side by side in the order you want your stripes.
2. Make a 4Take the strand on the far left and cross it over the strand beside it, so the two make the shape of the number 4.
3. Loop and pull upTuck the end under and back through the loop, then slide the knot up toward the top while holding the other strand straight and tight.
4. Tie it twiceEvery knot happens twice on the same strand. That double knot is what makes the little bumps you see on finished bracelets.
5. Carry it acrossKeep knotting with the same color over each strand to its right. When it reaches the far side, one row of candy stripe is done. Now the new far-left color takes its turn.
6. Finish the endsWhen the knotted part wraps around the wrist, braid each tail for a couple of inches so there is plenty to tie on.

Jewelry Making

Just My Style Unicorn Friendship Bracelets Kit

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$10.97

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Just My Style Message Beads Jewelry Kit

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$16.60

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Just My Style Color-Changing Mood Jewelry Kit

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Word bracelet ideas beyond your name

• Split words. String BEST on one bracelet and FRIENDS on the other. Each one only makes sense when you stand side by side.
• Secret codes. Shared initials, the year you met, or the first letter of every word in your favorite song line.
• Squad words. A club, cabin or team name, made once for every member of the group.
• Pep talks. BRAVE, CALM or YAY — a word to glance at in the middle of a spelling test.
• One-bead messages. Our Message Beads Jewelry Kit has 20 phrase beads like OMG, LOL and BFF, so a single bead says the whole thing.

Building a stack

A stack is three to five bracelets worn together, and the trick is contrast. Mix one knotted thread bracelet, one word bracelet and one with a single charm. Then run one shared color through all of them — a little lilac in every piece, say — so the stack looks planned instead of random. The Color-Changing Mood Jewelry Kit makes a fun top layer, with charms that shift red, blue, green or purple with your body temperature. For a sturdy base, the Charming Bangles Jewelry Kit gives you four metal bangles to dress with beads and charms. And if knotting is the goal, the Unicorn Friendship Bracelets Kit pairs ten skeins of thread with an illustrated guide to 20 designs, chevrons and zig-zags included. Find more on our jewelry-making shelf.

Trading, the friendly way