Bead Necklaces

The teddy bears were going on holiday with their pals, Oscar and Alfred. When Alfred arrived he was wearing a very colourful bead necklace. The other bears thought that it looked really pretty and asked him where he had bought it.

He replied that it wasn't for sale in any shops. It was actually a length of shoelace, plus some beads and bells that he had threaded on. The other bears thought that they would like to make bead necklaces just like that for themselves too.

"Where do you get the beads and bells from?" James asked Alfred. "Well, actually, they were all bought from our local craft shop, but I didn't just thread on whatever I wanted" he replied.

"What do you mean?" continued James. Then Alfred told them that the beads and bells on his necklace were given to him for completing certain challenges whilst on holiday, or even when just at home.

"What sort of challenges?" asked James, who was very keen to know more. "Well, I got this bead," said Alfred, pointing to a long, red one, "for trying a food I hadn't ever tried before.

Sometimes when there is some sort of food that I don't initially like the look of, I just don't choose it. But now, if I do try it, I get a bead for my necklace, which is great!"

It looked as if Alfred had at least two long red beads on his necklace, so he must have tried two types of food he didn't originally think he would like. Alfred must be a very brave bear!

"What else do you get beads for?" questioned Lizzie. "I had a challenge in the Summer," replied Alfred "to make a daisy chain from the daisies in the garden. I liked doing that, AND I got a bead for it."

"What about the nice blue ones?" asked Edward, whose favourite colour was blue. "I get those for doing a good turn for someone else" Alfred said. "But only whoever I do the good turn for can let me have the bead for that. I can't just say that I have done a good turn myself."

Each type of challenge had a differently-coloured or differently-shaped bead so his necklace ended up being very colourful and unusual.

"But what do you get the bell for?" asked Richard, as Alfred had only one bell on his necklace. "When I have earned a certain number of beads, I am awarded a tingly bell to add to my necklace" Alfred told them. It seems that he has done lots and lots of different things as his necklace is so long! And he has a bell too!! Well done, Alfred!

The bears thought the idea of Alfred's bead necklace was great fun and they have put together a list of challenges so that they can all, hopefully, have colourful necklaces (with bells!) as well!!

Perhaps you could try some of them out too! Click here and see how many challenges you can complete.