Beads or beading kit for 3 yo?

[YouAreTheFocus]

I'm wondering if anyone can recommend beads, either on their own or in a kit, suitable for a 3 yo? I'm not looking for the large wooden lacing beads type toy, just larger than average jewelry-making beads. I thought this could be a good plane activity...I could have my 3 yo make bracelets for xmas presents.

And would plastic lanyard be the best thing to string on?

Thanks!

[HonoluluMom]

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but I got the B. Pop-Arty Beads for Christmas for DD based on the reviews on Amazon and I think someone recommended them here on the boards.

http://www.target.com/p/b-pop-arty-funky-pop-beads/-/A-12026422

[MMMommy]

Do you plan on bringing a lipped tray or lipped container you can have your DC use on the plane with the beads? For some reason, I picture beads rolling off the seat tray tray and onto the floor with a 3 year old. I would bring something like that to keep the beads contained.

[mnosky1]

Plastic lanyard is good for lacing but bad for a bracelet because the knot slips apart and the beads go everywhere. I'd try a plastic needle on elastic string. And maybe do necklaces- you'll spend less time cutting/tieing and DD can spend more time stringing. I'd suggest pony beads.

Wire works well too and you can use that to make beaded Christmas ornaments that look pretty nice- have DD string on red, green, silver or similar then help her curl the wire in a spiral with your finger and put a tiny bell at the end. Oriental trading had a kit we bought one year to make a ton of these and my DD did mostly independently at about that age. The clear beads pony size or the ones that look like snowflake/stars would be good for this.

As for on a plane...well, not so sure. Definitely need a tray- maybe with a sticky mat in it.

ETA - don't know if your Child is DD or DS, I have girls so say DD.

[acmom]

I've done beads in my preschool classrooms on both pipe cleaners and tipped yarn/string, which you can often find at craft stores. The tipped string also comes with a lot of the Melissa and Doug wooden bead jewelry kits, which my DD likes a lot. I would agree with PPs that you would probably want a tray and I know several of those M&D sets come in a wooden tray, so they might be perfect!