Kids’ Jewelry: It’s Not Just Trendy, It’s Traditional – 2020 Update

Kids jewelry is not a new concept even though it may seem like it at first. Actually, the tradition of young children and even newborns wearing their own jewelry has deep roots and dates back to ancient customs. Bracelets and anklets are definitely the most popular types of jewelry for children, but in some countries, necklaces and earrings are also a common gift for small children, both boys, and girls. 

The History of Kids’ Jewelry

In ancient times, gifting children with jewelry has been a globally practiced custom. It was thought that these particular jewelry pieces will guard the kids against evil spirits – together with the decorative aspect of it all. At first, this jewelry was made from animal hair and shells only to evolve into elaborate gold and stone designs that have been found in areas of ancient Egypt, the Roman Empire, Byzantine, and so on. Even the Bible mentions the instances of children wearing jewelry.

Every part of the planet and every nation has its own approach to kids’ jewelry but the indisputable fact is that the tradition existed and is still going strong. For instance, Cambodian parents would often tie silver strings with bells on their children’s ankles to ward off evil and keep track of their movement. According to African tradition, the stretching of the earlobes begins with baby jewelry. From the early 14th century, a big custom among Italians was to gift their newborns small cross necklaces made of coral to protect them from the “evil eye”, and so on.

During the 17th century, jewelry craftsmanship became very popular in Europe, which also included making special diaper/bib clips made of gold or silver for the babies at the time. And during the Victorian period, this trend boomed into plated baby bracelets and necklaces specifically designed to carry the child’s name or simply have the word “baby” inscribed. Jeweled brooches were a popular baby ornament for the wealthier families. These trends have soon traveled to America as well, where parents would use baby pins instead of common buttons for baby clothes as well as gift the children coral-bead necklaces for protection.

Furthermore, in some cultures such as Latin American and South Asian, it’s actually expected that baby girls have their ears pierced. Namely, buying the first set of earrings for the baby is one of the most special moments for the parents and/or grandparents in these cultures.

Is Baby Jewelry a Good Idea?

In this day and age, we are much more knowledgeable about health and safety, which poses the question of whether baby jewelry is a good idea at all. That said, it’s important to mention that there are no medical statements that label baby jewelry as dangerous, as long as the materials used are hypoallergenic and all the safety measures are taken, especially in regard to ear piercing.

Aside from potential allergies that can be prevented by choosing the right jewelry material suitable for a child’s sensitive skin, the biggest concern is the choking hazard. In that sense, the most important thing is to simply listen to common sense when giving a child a piece of jewelry to wear.

That said, it would be best to avoid necklaces completely until the child is old enough to know not to put foreign objects in their mouth. But the choking hazard is not only present with the necklaces but also anklets and bracelets that are too dangly or have loose clasps. In that respect, make sure to purchase jewelry that doesn’t have charms and beads, keep the bracelets and anklets tight-fitting, and ensure that the pieces always have a safety clasp. If you take care of these issues and choose adequate jewelry according to the child’s age, the question of whether baby jewelry is a good idea or not bottles down to the matter of aesthetics, and nothing more.

Popular Baby Girl Jewelry Options

There are plenty of different choices when looking for the best baby girl jewelry gift.

Bracelets are very popular as a baby jewelry gift for a little girl as they don’t bother the baby too much and look absolutely adorable on her tiny wrist. What’s more, they can be passed down through generations and serve a nice decorative purpose for the family once the girl overgrows it. A very popular bracelet style for baby girls involves a string with the child’s birthstone or a plate with her date of birth inscribed.

Anklets have become more popular in recent years as far as the modern trends go in baby jewelry as they pose the least danger to a child when it comes to a potential choking hazard. They can be found in various styles, often labeled as “baby’s first anklet”. The best selection of baby anklets is available at Asian jewelers and merchants.

Necklaces are not the most popular baby girl jewelry and it’s more common to find necklaces suitable for toddlers than infants. However, it’s possible to find clunkier necklaces of a suitable size for babies that are actually meant to help with teething. Still, those are not as decorative and fashionable as regular necklaces.

Earrings are definitely in abundance when one is looking for suitable baby girl jewelry. In general, the earrings are always made as tiny studs but they come in a variety of shapes such as stars, hearts, butterflies, flowers, or even have one delicate cubic zirconia as a nice detail. Of course, it’s essential that a specialized professional performs the ear-piercing so that there’s no risk of infection. The ideal material is 14-carat gold to prevent allergic reactions.

Religious jewelry pieces are also very popular as both baby girl and baby boy jewelry. In general, these are typically bracelets symbolizing baptism and christening. As mentioned, necklaces with crosses, Star of David, and so on, are better left for toddlers.

The Rise of Baby Boy Jewelry

Baby girl jewelry may be more common, but nowadays there are more options for baby boy jewelry as well. As mentioned, religious bracelets are gender-neutral. In that sense, there are more choices when it comes to other baby boy bracelets as well that are a bit more masculine in style, with bangles or names spelled in blocks. Furthermore, popular necklaces for boy toddlers involve dog-tag style pendants as well as pendants featuring the religious aspect of the family, and so on. It’s true, however, that baby boy earrings are still not taking off and it’s difficult to find earrings specially made for boys. But if you like the look and want your boy to have pierced ears, there are still plenty of simple stud earrings to find.

If you’re looking for the best kids jewelry store in Miami, don’t hesitate to pay us a visit at Santayana Jewelers. We offer top-quality pieces that are customized and specially designed for our unique customers. It’s with special care that we cater to young children, making sure there’s no risk of allergies thanks to the superb materials used while incorporating interesting and fun designs bound to turn into a true family heirloom for generations. It’s our goal to allow all of our customers to show off their individuality, starting as early as newborns.