Functional & Edible Cereal Necklace
by
Barbara Sher 
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Edible Cereal Necklace
Art can be beautiful and art can be functional, but isn’t it nice when it’s also edible?
Give each child a piece of yarn, string, or fishing line that is long enough to fit over her head when tied. If you use yarn or string, it can be helpful to younger ones if you put a piece of tape on the stringing end so that it’s firmer and goes more easily through the hole in the cereal.
Directions
Encourage the child to put the cereal pieces on the string. Give whatever assistance is needed to be successful. Tie the ends of the yarn together when she’s done to make a necklace. Have your child count how many pieces of cereal are on the string.
Variations
1) After the child counts the number of cereal pieces on the string, let the child eat some and then count how many pieces are left. Can your child figure out how many were eaten?
2) If you want your necklace to be lasting, instead of edible, string other things, such as buttons, short pieces of colored straws, or macaroni and other hollow pasta shapes.
3) Instead of string or yarn, you could use pipe cleaners and turn the project into rings for the finger or loops to hang around the ears.
What is being Learned
Children are getting practice in focusing on small objects and directing their fingers. They are also getting practice in counting and, for some, the concept of subtraction.
Modifications
For children who are not yet able to coordinate both hands working together, have an adult or other player hold the string steady.
Barbara Sher M.A.,O.T.R, an occupational therapist and author of nine books on childrens games. Titles include EARLY INTERVENTION GAMES SPIRIT GAMES and EXTRAORDINARY PLAY WITH ORDINARY THINGS.
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This post originally appeared on our January/February 2012 Magazine
