One of my favorite inside projects for kids is making strands of beads.  We started doing them when Ada was about two.  She needed a lot of help at first, but now she asks to do them on her own.  The stringing requires some intense concentration from the child, it is good for their fine motor skills, and I get about an hour of quiet time.  You will need:

*Shoelaces, leather cord or yarn.  If using yarn, put some scotch tape around the end to make the threading easier.

*Beads of various sizes and colors.  It is lovely to see the patterns the kids come up with.

*Dried pasta, felt shapes, etc.  I save scraps of wool felt from other projects and use a hole punch so they can be strung.  I love the variety felt bundles from Wool Felt Central

It is helpful to tie a knot at one end so the beads don’t slip off while the necklace is being made.

I am not sure Marni has done better…