Kids Bible Crafts: One Decade Bracelets

By Sirena Van Schaik

Faith, it is an important part of life whether you practice a religion or not. We all have faith in some element or other, whether it is faith in ourselves, faith in God or faith in those around us. We use the word, interchanging it with so many thoughts, feelings and circumstances but one thing is the same in all of them; we believe.

Throughout the years, I have found that children believe more than we do as adults. There are very few doubts and even in children who are not raised with any “formal” religion will state facts relating to God as though they are without a doubt that he exists.

The Rosary, for many, is an important part of their faith. They pray the rosary on every day and many keep the rosary with them at all times. I have found that children love rosaries and my own children will often sit with mine in hand and run the beads between their small fingers. They love the weight, the feel and the explanation behind my rosaries and will often talk to me about it.

For this reason, I was delighted when my oldest child had the opportunity to make his own decade. It was an excellent way to teach about our faith and also to provide him with his own special rosary.

Making a rosary is fairly simple and can be done by children as young as five. They are small, fit perfectly in a child’s hand and also make an excellent rosary for adults to carry in their pockets.

What you need:

• Beading String: You can purchase this at most beading stores. It is a clear plastic string, almost like fishing line but much thicker and it has a bit of elasticity to it.
• 10 beads of one color: These are the beads where you will recite “Hail Mary” when you pray the rosary. It is important to choose a color that you love and has a special meaning to you. The rosary featured in the photograph was made by my son when he was six and the color (although not a favorite color) made him feel happy so he chose it.
• 12 spacer beads: These are really small beads that are only there to provide a spacer between all of the other beads. In the photograph, the beads are silver but you can use any color, although I would suggest matching the color with the color of the crucifix or cross that you use.
• 1 round bead: It doesn’t have to be round but it should be a different color than the other beads and possibly a different size. This is the bead that you recite “Our Father” on and is the start of each decade.
• Crucifix or Cross: In the photograph example, a cross was used but you can use a crucifix as well.
  Virgin Mary Medal: Match the medal to the color you use for the crucifix so if you use silver for the crucifix, use silver for the cross.

Directions:

1. Take a long length of string, about 3 or 4 inches longer than your decade will be, and knot the one end, this will keep the beads from slipping off.
2. Slide a spacer bead onto the string and push it against the knot.
3. Slide on the medal and then slide on the first “Hail Mary” bead.
4. Add a spacer bead, and then a “Hail Mary” bead. Repeat the process until you have no more beads and only two spacer beads left. You will finish with a spacer bead at the end of the pattern.
5. Slide the round bead onto the string and place it against the spacer bead.
6. Add another spacer bead after the round bead and then slide the crucifix onto the string.
7. Finish with a spacer bead.
8. At this point, you will want to slide the beads up the string away from your starting knot.
9. Once you have a bit of room, tie both ends of the string together, make sure the knot is secure and then cut the string so there is very little overhang. This will remove the first knot that you created when you started the project.

And then your rosary decade is finished and you can enjoy the beauty of both the rosary and of creating something so wonderful.

Tags: making a rosary, one decade bracelets, rosaries, rosary, rosary bracelets