diy

Friendship bracelets, neon colors, and Smurfs, among other things from my childhood have all made a comeback, but I realized the other day that it doesn't seem like friendship pins have made any waves since then. And it made me kind of sad because I loved making them when I was little. They have all of the qualities of a great craft for kids -- they're simple to make, inexpensive, and they're virtually mess free!

My youngest daughter starts first grade this year, and though she hasn't told me so, I can tell she's a little nervous about going to school all day. I've been trying to think of something special that we could do together to celebrate this new chapter in her life. After thinking about all of this, it dawned on me that a friendship pin kit would be something that she would love.

So I headed to the craft department at Walmart. I thought maybe they'd have a premade friendship kit -- no such luck. But that's okay, I just made her one myself!

Walmart had a huge display with different colored glass seed beads, so many that I had trouble narrowing down what colors to buy. They're priced at just $1.50 per container, and one container will easily fill at least three kits.

I picked up a couple of packages of safety pins, one in gold and one in silver, but I couldn't find the perfect container for the kit there. So I got a little creative and checked out the fishing gear. Score! I found the perfect little double-sided tackle box that has 10 small compartments on each side, and they were only $3.26 a piece.

So I grabbed two because I had a hunch that my older daughter was going to want one too...

I filled one side up with beads and then flipped it over.

I partially filled the other side with beads and then added the safety pins in their own compartments. I also left two empty slots for pins in progress and completed pins.

I had hoped to surprise Addie with the kit, but she caught me outside filling it with beads. She was super excited nonetheless, and we got right to work on some pins when I was finished. I showed her how to thread the beads onto the pins and how you can attach them to your shoelaces -- she sat there making pins all night!

And then Camden came home from a friend's house and immediately wanted to start making some. Luckily I'd already filled the other kit I purchased, so she sat there for the rest of the night too.

One quick tip I would give is to have them place their kits on a rimmed baking sheet while they're creating. It will contain any beads that escape the container, and it's inevitable that they will, allowing for easy cleanup.

I'm so excited that I was able to put together such a fun activity for them that will also help them connect with their friends, and I have a feeling that their friends are going to want their own kits as well. These will make great birthday gifts!

Did you make friendship pins when you were younger?

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for the time and effort spent creating this post. However, my participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own -- always have been, always will be.

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