90s Kids, Unite: Why Friendship Bracelets Still Totally Rule

Remember when summer meant riding bikes until dark, sipping Hi-C, and knotting friendship bracelets on the front steps with your best friend? Back in the 90s, making bracelets wasn’t just a fun way to pass the time—it was everything. You didn’t need fancy supplies, a screen, or even a reason. Just string, your hands, and someone you liked enough to spend an hour tying knots for.

Now that we’re the parents, it’s our turn to pass that little bit of magic on. And guess what? Friendship bracelets still totally rule. 

There’s something timeless about friendship bracelets. They aren’t flashy. They’re not plugged in. They’re not trendy in the “this will disappear in 30 seconds” kind of way.

They’re slow. Intentional. Creative. And full of heart.

And even though we didn’t have words for it back then, bracelet making was a total childhood wellness tool. It was relaxing, repetitive, and just enough of a challenge to make it satisfying. Plus, it came with a built-in purpose: you made something for someone else.

Today’s kids are just as drawn to that experience. And in a world of overstimulation, it might be exactly what they need.

Friendship bracelets have stayed around for a reason. Here’s what makes them still such a great fit—especially for kids growing up now.

This is an activity that doesn't beep, blink, or require a charger. And yet? Kids love it.

There’s structure—follow the pattern—but also freedom: pick your colors, add a charm, spell out a name.

From fine motor coordination to pattern recognition to stick-with-it focus, kids are learning while they craft.

Whether they’re trading with a friend or making matching bracelets for siblings, this is crafting with someone in mind.

You can make them in the car, at grandma’s, or outside under a tree. No setup, no noise, just something quietly engaging.

By the way ... the toe method is TOTALLY how I did friendship bracelets as a kid ... and still do them now. 🙈

Let’s be real: some crafts are all about the kids. But friendship bracelets? You might just find yourself picking out your own string too.

And it’s such an easy way to connect. While you’re sitting side by side, tying knots and picking beads, the conversations just flow.

You can:

• Tell them about the bracelets you made at camp when you were a kid
  
  

• Teach them the candy stripe or chevron pattern from memory
  
  

• Laugh about the ones you wore until they were filthy with dirt and beach sand
  
  

• Or just sit quietly together, working on something with your hands
  
  

No stress. No screens. No forced “activity time.” Just something fun to do together.

We’ve all been there. You finally say yes to making bracelets and realize:

• The floss is tangled
  
  

• Your color selection is lame
  
  

• The beads you thought you had are too big
  
  

• And now you’re 45 minutes deep into YouTube trying to remember how to start a know
  
  

That’s why we made the Introduction to Friendship Bracelets Kit for Kids.

We wanted something that felt like opening a box of summer fun—without needing to prep, shop, or guess your way through it.

Everything fits in one box. Everything works together. And everything is made with kids in mind—but cool enough that you’ll want to make one too.

Bracelet-making is one of the easiest activities to bring along wherever summer takes you.

• In the backseat on a road trip
  
  

• At the picnic table at the campground
  
  

• On the porch at grandma’s house
  
  

• During quiet time at home while the baby naps
  
  

Throw a few cords and some beads in a zip pouch and you’re good to go.

It’s mess-free. Engaging. And gives kids that calm, productive feeling that so many of us remember from our own childhood summers.

They’re a gesture. A creative outlet. A little act of kindness wrapped around someone’s wrist.

They remind kids—and maybe us, too—that the best gifts don’t come from a store or a screen. They come from our own hands, our time, and our hearts.

Whether your child is making one for their best friend, a new sibling, a grandparent, or even themselves, bracelet making is about more than following a pattern. It’s about connection.

If you love the idea of passing on the magic of friendship bracelets—but not the part where you have to source the materials, Google the patterns, and untangle the floss—we’ve got you.

Our Introduction to Friendship Bracelets Kit for Kids has everything you need, in one box, to make this summer a little more creative, a little more connected, and a lot more fun.

Because some things really do never go out of style.