Make a Pi Day Bracelet or Necklace
This Pi Day bracelet and necklace activity provides a concrete representation of Pi. For younger students who may struggle with the concept of Pi being an infinite number, the Pi bracelet and necklace gives them a way to remember and communicate what Pi is.
How to Make a Pi Bracelet and Necklace
Pi (3.14159265359…) is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to the diameter. If you divide the circumference of any circle by the diameter, you will always get exactly the same number, Pi. This makes Pi a constant. Regardless of the circumference and diameter of the circle, the result of the circumference divided by the diameter will always be Pi.
Pi is also irrational, meaning the number goes on forever, or infinite. You can see the first million digits at PiDay.org, but you can never see the last number.
Download our printable worksheets for this activity to read more about Pi. Input your email below, and subscribe to our email community.
Supplies for the Pi Day Bracelet and Necklace
- Beads
- Yarn or string
- Scissors
- Pony beads. You’ll need 11 colors for 0 to 9 and a color for the decimal point.
Directions:
Let’s make a Pi Day bracelet or necklace that uses the first 70 numbers of Pi. (If you put “first 70 digits in Pi” into Google, it will display 70 digits of Pi. You can put in any number.)
3.1415926535 8979323846 2643383279 5028841971 6939937510 5820974944 5923078164 0628620899 8628034825 3421170679 …
Measure enough string or yarn to make a bracelet or necklace. Add 3 extra inches. Then, double this length of string. (Any excess can be trimmed later.)
Tie a heavy knot at one end. Assign the numbers below a bead color and write them on the worksheet. Then, assign a color to the decimal point.
String a “number 3 bead” and the “decimal point” bead.
Continue stringing the beads according to the numbers listed after “3.”. Tie it off when you are finished.
Other Pi Day Resources
Demonstrate Pi Day with this hands-on activity (that is super simple!)
Check out our list of other Pi Day Resources
I hold a master’s degree in child development and early education and am working on a post-baccalaureate in biology. I spent 15 years working for a biotechnology company developing IT systems in DNA testing laboratories across the US. I taught K4 in a private school, homeschooled my children, and have taught on the mission field in southern Asia. For 4 years, I served on our state’s FIRST Lego League tournament Board and served as the Judging Director. I own thehomeschoolscientist and also write a regular science column for Homeschooling Today Magazine. You’ll also find my writings on the CTCMath blog. Through this site, I have authored over 50 math and science resources.