Charm Bracelets for Children… Think Again
Children’s charm bracelets, is a subject that requires some serious consideration. It’s the most natural thing in the world that little girls will imitate their mothers from a very early age. And it’s safe to say that if you like to wear jewelry like charm bracelets your daughters will very likely find them irresistible too.
Children find charm bracelets particularly fascinating and who can blame them. The sparkly miniature pieces that replicate so many things a child sees around them, from tiny little animals like they’ve seen at the zoo to miniature cell phones that open and close. Companies like Chamilia who produce exclusive lines of tiny Disney characters, craft these little gems for adults and children of at least 6 years and older. Children under 6 years should never be given or be allowed to play with a charm bracelet on their own.
The Child Safety Protection Act (CSPA) has a very clear set of guidelines covering what constitutes a chocking or swallowing hazard for small children. Just like some toys and other items with small pieces pose a danger to small children, the same applies to jewelry, especially with beads and miniatures. A small child can easily mistake Pandora glass beads or perhaps a Rembrandt miniature ice-cream cone charm for a piece of candy.
The CSPA has established 6 years as a safe minimum age that a child might be trusted with toys or games containing small pieces; that would include their first charm bracelet but it really depends on the individual child. To my mind a child of 6 would probably not understand the danger to smaller children they might be playing with.
Certainly you can celebrate your child’s birth by buying a bracelet for them and adding charms to mark special occasions and even show it to them as something they have to look forward to having and wearing in the future; this goes for nieces and granddaughters too, but it’s always hard to see the expression on their faces when it’s time to put their future treasure away for safe keeping.
As a mother of two girls and an avid collector of charm bracelets and charms, since before they were born I can offer a couple of tips that worked well for me. I always made sure I had a couple of candy bracelets we could each put on to smooth over that moment when it’s time to put their charm bracelet treasure away again. I always loved candy bracelets as a little girl, you probably know what I mean and it seems that they lose none of their charm from one generation to the next. Come to think of it, that could explain my life-long fascination with charm bracelets…lol. 
The second thing you might try as a clever substitution, if you have misgivings about candy and kids teeth, you can try spending a little quality time with a terrific kitchen table craft. Paper bracelet making; Inna Dorman, of Ina’s Creations says: “Children love these bracelets made from paper strips. The idea isn’t new, I made origami bracelets from candy wrappers when I was a child…” more
Also
Starburst Wrapper Bracelet Tutorial: Here.
From my past experience and I anticipate with my grand children too, (but not too soon), I can pretty much guarantee that either candy bracelets or paper bracelets or both will substitute nicely until your little divas are ready to have charm bracelets of their own.
