Morse Code Jewelry – for Kids!

Morse code jewelry is popular in craft fairs, pintrest, and esty shops, but your kids can make their own Morse Code Jewelry at home.  It’s fun to wear something that most people won’t understand at first. Somehow it makes your jewelry more fun.  You can write your name in Morse Code, “I Love You,” or you can write something special to you.  Here are some instructions for making your own Morse code jewelry using cheap pony beads and yarn.

First, here is the Morse Code Chart.  Print this out.

Next, decide what you want your necklace to say.  It can’t be too long or you will have a really long necklace.  One to four words is usually plenty.  Write it down on some paper, and write the appropriate Morse Code symbols (using the key you printed) like this:

My Pony Beads came in one big tub all mixed up, so really your next step is to pick two colors and sort these from the rest.  Choose one color to be for your code and the other to be the spacing between dots, dashes, letters and words. For your youngest, it might help to lay out the beads on the paper so they know what order to string them (In the picture below, I ran out of space, so the ‘O’ and ‘E’ are on the bottom row for Love, and the O is on the bottom row for You).  Older students can figure out the code and string at the same time.

For pony beads, use this strategy.  Color A (pink in the example): 1 bead is a dot, 2 beads is a dash.  Color 2 (green in the example): 1 bead to separate dots and dashes, 2 beads to separate letters and 3 beads to separate words.

Cut a long piece of yarn (approx 3 feet)

Tie a bead of color B to your string to give your little one a starting point (so all the beads don’t fall off).  Thread on 4 more of color B.  Then begin treading your message using the strategy described above (color A for your dots and dashes and color B to separate the dots, dashes, letters, words)

TIP: If your yarn is fraying, wrap some tape around the end, so you have an imitation shoe lace end.  (Did you know those are called aglets?)

Keep treading your message.  When you’ve finished, tread 5 more of color B at the end, and you can tie your last bead in place.  Tie the two ends together at whatever length suits you.

This is what you end up with for an “I Love You” necklace!

If “I Love You” is too long, or you have lots of kids, consider just making bracelets.  Here is an “Eva” bracelet on a pipe cleaner:

If your kids have long names, just do initials.  Pipe cleaners are perfect for your preschooler who is still refining his/her fine motor skills!  Follow the same rules as above, except you can change the number of beads before and after your message to fit your wrist.  Twist the pipe cleaner together at the ends, and tuck the pointy ends into the last bead and trim.

Change your colors,bead shapes, or messages and have fun learning Morse code while making jewelry!