Making a Bead Bracelet for
Spiritual Care
Invite the child or young person to make a bead bracelet.
Show them the beads in the box and ‘explore’ them.
As appropriate, talk about colours, shapes, textures.
(The questions asked and the approach need to be adapted to the age, gender and nature of illness
of the child/young person).
Talk about other pieces of jewellery the child/young person has:
Who were they given by?
Are they special or precious? If so, why?
What does wearing their chosen jewellery express about themselves?
Introduce the card and use it to begin to explore feelings about being in hospital. What is good about it?
What makes them smile while in hospital? What is more difficult about being in hospital? What do they miss while away from home?
With older children and young people use the colours and related ideas on the card as beads are selected (they could be placed in
a ‘sick bowl’ until ready for threading). Take time to talk through each feeling, strength or quality. Discuss why and how each is
important and how they ‘see’ it in practice.
Once the bracelet is made, discuss the questions on the card as you encourage the child/young person to think about what they
already have, what they are able to offer others and how they might develop the things they don’t yet have.
Younger children
With younger children, beads can be chosen in other ways. For example selecting beads that represent different things and people
who are important to the child. Exploring ‘why’ the people and things they choose are important might be very revealing and lead
into an opportunity to discuss ideas such as ‘happiness’, ‘strength’, ‘belonging’….
With children under 5/6 years old just listing the people that are important and knowing they are loved and safe will probably be enough.
Red Balloon Resources [email protected]
Make a bracelet for your spiritual care
Make a bracelet for the things you need, want or feel while you are sick or in hospital.
Large Beads
Green = Peace
Red = to feel that I matter
= Hope for the future
Pink = Strength to get help
Purple = Faith in God
Brown = I want to be honest
Blue = Happiness in all I do
Orange = to be able to help others
Yellow = to feel I belong somewhere
Heart shaped = to feel I am loved/wanted
Light green = to feel safe
Peach = to feel appreciated
Why have you put those particular colours on your bracelet? Think about what you already have,
what you are able to offer to others and how you might be able to have what you would like. Is
there anything that you would like to pray about: to give thanks to God for or ask God to help you
with?
Red Balloon Resources [email protected]
Small beads– what I feel/my present (now)
Green = scared/frightened
Red = worried about something
= I need help with something, but I don’t know how to ask
Pink = feel unwell/poorly
Blue = confused about something
Purple = someone hurts me/bullies me
Black = I don’t want to be here anymore. I wish I was dead
Clear bead = worried about money
Sparkly bead = I want to hurt/cut myself
Tubular bead = upset/worried about school
Coloured-star bead = nervous about something
Spotty bead = feelings about food
Orange = drugs/alcohol
Silver star = feel lonely/isolated
Brown = sex/boys/girls
Yellow = angry
Light green= someone makes me feel special
Person bead = problems at home (family)