what age for wearing a necklace?

[dbianca23]

dd is really into necklaces right now. she asks to wear mine every day and i usually put it on her -- she's 2.5. when can i get her her own necklace?

[punkrockmama]

I think it depends on what kind of necklace you're talking about. I would think that 2.5 is fine for one of those play necklaces that are big and chunky and totally secure. Plastic or wooden. My big kid likes to string together wooden beads and wear those as a necklace. My little girl is too small yet for that stuff.

If you mean a real honest to goodness gold chain or something, I'd say much older. Like eight probably.

[Marisa6826]

Both Sophie and Mia have necklaces, but they're 'play' ones - stretchy elastic with wooden beads on them. They're very similar to the HABA ones, but not nearly as expensive. Believe it or not, I found them (in of all places) in the party favour aisle at Target. They were less than $2/ea.

I figure, I'm not going to spend a lot of money on something that will likely break. Oddly, the cheapo ones have far outlasted the more expensive (yet similar) bracelets I've gotten for Sophie at Learning Express.

Are you looking for play ones or a 'real' one? I'd be worried that it would be broken and/or lost unless it was for special occasions or only when highly supervised.

-m

[sdbc]

My aunt gave DD a necklace a year ago (at 18 months) that I let her wear whenever she wants (not very often). It is a real necklace with a thin chain and a pendant. I feel comfortable with the chain because it would break before it could choke her. That said, it's not an expensive necklace. I think it's gold-coated silver. I wouldn't risk something very valuable. I silver necklace that doesn't cost too much seems appropriate if she wants one.

[denna]

My first 'real' knecklace was given to me when I was 5 yo for Valentines day by my mother, it is gold w/ a heart pendant. I have lost several pendants over the years in sports, etc but I still have that knecklace.

IMO 2.5 is too young for a 'real' knecklace but I think big chunky wooden/ plastic ones would be great. Or even the big black string ones. If she really wants one that looks like mommy's maybe get one from Claire's or something like that? I would be watchful of possibly allergies though when using metals.

HTH,