The summer holidays are here. If you are looking for fun and easy craft ideas for your kids, this is the perfect place!

We have brought for your kids 21 amazing craft ideas using pipe cleaners. They are easy to make. You kid is sure to have hours of fun with these bright and colorful craft projects. Pipe cleaners are available easily at any arts and crafts supplies store. Starting from fun insects to useful stuffs like wind chimes, various sorts of crafts can be made from the pipe cleaners. Some of the crafts require parental guidance and help, whilst there are some which can be managed by the kids alone. Have a fun time with your child in developing his/her creativity and motor skills.

These bright and attractive ideas are sure going to make the summer afternoons a lot more fun!

21 Craft Ideas For Pipe Cleaners For Children

1. Pipe cleaner calculator

Here is a fun way of teaching your kid to count. This easy craft project also comes in handy in teaching him or her simple math.

What you need

• 1 pipe cleaner
• 20 pony beads (bright colors)
• 2 larger beads

Instructions

• String the pony beads onto the pipe cleaner
• Glue the 2 larger beads at the two ends. This will ensure that the pony beads do not slide off

Your fun and easy pipe cleaner calculator is ready!

2. Styrofoam Cup Crabs

If your baby loves the beach, this one is perfect for him or her! The vibrant pipe cleaner crafts make for absolutely adorable summer time craft ideas.

What you need

• Styrofoam cups
• Pipe cleaners
• Paint & colors
• Googly eyes

Instructions

• Paint the styrofoam cups in bright colors for the body of your crabs
• Take the pipe cleaner crafts and bend them to form the claws
• Cut according to size (Make sure your child has an adult overseeing when using scissors and other sharp objects)
• Glue the claws to the side of the cups to make it look like a crab
• Take two of the smaller left over pieces and glue to the top of the cup for the eyes
• Glue the eyes at the end of these two pieces

Your beach time companions are ready for fun! Use waterproof paint so that your child can take them to the beach. They can even be great bath time toys!

3. Pipe Cleaner Chameleon

This is a cute pipe cleaner figure that you can make with your kids one summer afternoon. It can be your child’s best friend. And the best thing is that you don’t need to feed it or clean up afterwards.

What you need

• Pipe cleaners
• Felt
• Marker
• Scissors
• Glue

Instructions

• Start with the head. Make a loop in the middle of the pipe cleaner. (The size and shape of the loop determine the size and shape of the head)
• Wrap head from neck to nose.
• Now for the body. Coil a pipe cleaner around a marker to make the body. Slide off once complete. (The fatter the marker you use, the fatter your chameloeon is going to be)
• Leave the tail super long. You will need it for curling
• Slip pipe cleaners between the coil for legs. Twist to give shape
• Bend to get knees and feet
• Cut out a thin pipe cleaner for the chameleon’s tongue
• Cut eyes out of felt and glue to the head
• Draw pupils with a permanent marker. Slide tongue into the face, and curl end.

Your kid’s new best friend for the summer is ready.

4. Finger Puppets

Spend hours of fun telling stories with these super cute finger puppets made out of pipe cleaners. Let your kid’s imagination run wild. These are really easy to be made and can help your toddler to understand stories with multiple characters in it.

What you need

• Pipe cleaners
• White Glue
• Pom Poms
• Googly eyes

Instructions

• Wind a pipe cleaner around your baby’s wee finger. Make sure that the wound is not too tight as it can hurt your child but tight enough to make the spiral formation.
• Now the unwounded part of the pipe cleaner can be made into a loop to form the first ear of the puppet.
• Similarly another loop can be formed to make the second ear.
• Apply a dab of glue on the pipe cleaner and stick the pom pom on it.
• Now you can stick the googly eyes on the pom pom with the help of the glue.
• Repeat the steps to make as many characters you want to create

The characters for your child’s bedtime story are now ready.

5. Fine Motor Octopus

Is your little one showing great aptitude for counting? Then this fine motor octopus will be the perfect craft activity which you can do with him/her. It will help him/her learn to count and also at the same time their motor skills will improve as they will try to put in the rigatoni pastas from the legs of the octopus.

What you need

• A White Paper Plate
• Thinner rigatoni pastas (make sure that they can stay on the pipe cleaners as the wider ones might slip away)
• Pipe cleaners
• Markers

Instructions:

• First draw a face (the face of the octopus) on the white paper plate.
• Punch the eight holes for the eight legs of the octopus on the bottom half of the rim of the plate.
• Twist and insert one pipe cleaners in each of the eight holes
• Encourage your child to insert the rigatoni pastas in the legs of the octopus.

Enjoy how your child finds out how many rigatoni pastas can each leg fit.

6. Dancing Princess

If your child is fond of puppets then this next craft idea would bring a smile on his/her face. Moreover, this will make the most attractive decorations in your house. Your child can also use them to act out stories and this will certainly trigger their imagination.

What you need

• Cotton Pipe Cleaners
• A pair of scissors
• Cotton Thread
• Plain or patterned napkins

Instructions:

• Take two pipe cleaners and bend them both in half.
• Twist the top portion of one of the pipe cleaners to form the head.
• Wrap the second piper cleaner on the first one to form the body and the arm.
• The remaining (untwisted) portion of the first piper cleaner will form the legs.
• Then crease and twist one of the paper napkins.
• Cut the tip of the center off. The size of the cut must fit the size of the head.
• Then open the napkin and cut two small slits, along the neck opening. This will be for the arms.
• Insert the body made out from pipe cleaners into the napkin, with arms going in first.
• Tie some cotton thread around the middle to define the shape.

Now your child’s tiny puppet is ready for him/her to play with.

7. Fall Tree

Making trees with pipe cleaners is a very engaging craft activity for your child. This colorful activity will make sure that your little one will have the ultimate fun.

What you need

• Brown pipe cleaners
• Pom poms
• Beads
• Foam stickers
• A piece of papeR

Instructions

• Bend and twist three brown pipe cleaners together to form the stem and the branches.
• Glue it to the piece of paper.
• Stick the pom poms and the beads, on the paper, along the branches, to represent the leaves the fruits.

Your child’s colorful tree is ready.

8. Paper Umbrellas

This rainy season let your child join the fun while making teeny tiny paper umbrellas, at home. Your child’s small toys will now have an umbrella over their head when it is pouring cats and dogs in his/her toy land.

What you need

• Pipe cleaners
• Glue
• Cupcake Liners
• Tape
• Scissors
• Any color construction paper
• Blue construction paper
• Bingo blotters

Instructions

• Paint and decorate the cupcake liners with the help of the markers.
• Dab some glue on the paper
• Add rain drops by cutting scraps from your paper or you can use the blotter
• You can cut the cupcake liners into half or you can cut them.
• Bend the end of the pipe cleaners to get the shape of the umbrella handle.
• Then glue it to the cupcake liners.
• Then stick the umbrellas on the blue construction paper.

9. Pipe Cleaner Crown

Grant the wish of your child to become a prince or a princess by making the ultimate pipe cleaner crown. This simple craft activity will not only engage your child but also will help him/he to have fun.

What you need

• Eight pipe cleaners (two of regular length and the other six cut into halves)
• Beads with holes which are large enough to thread on a pipe cleaner
• Scissors

Instructions

• You will need two lengths of pipe cleaners for making the vase of the crown. Make a hook at the end of the each and tie the two pipe cleaners in the form of a circle.
• Twist the shorter sections along the longer section in order to secure.
• Once the base is ready then fold a short pipe cleaner in the shape of a triangle and tie a bead in the tip with a thread.
• Twist the other two end of the triangle on the base pipe cleaners.
• Repeat the process till the entire crown is being made.

Put the crown on your child’s head and let him/her relish the royal feeling.

10. Pipe Cleaner Fishing Game

If your craft ideas can become games for your toddler, then there is nothing like it. This next craft idea is very simple and yet much engaging for your child.

What you need

• Two Piper cleaners
• One Glass or Plastic Jar
• Glue

Instructions

• Bend the tip one pipe cleaner to form the hook.
• Fold the other pipe cleaner into half and twist the end to give it a shape of a fish.
• Glue the ends to make it firm.

Now place the fish inside the jar and tell your child to pick it up with the help of the hook.

11. Pine Cone Weaving

Allow your child to get in touch with the nature with nature by engaging him/her with this wild and beautiful craft activity. It is engaging and is necessary for developing the motor skills of your little one.

What you need

• Pine Cones
• Piper Cleaners

Instructions

• Rinse and clean the pine cones and allow them to dry. This will make the sections open up wide enough for your toddler.
• Hand your child the pipe cleaners and allow them to wrap it around the gaps of the pine cone.

Your little one will have fun finding out the means to wrap the entire pine cone with one pipe cleaner or two.

12. Piper Cleaner Bead Mazes

To further enhance your child’s motor skills you can engage him/her in this fascinating craft activity. This fun and colorful craft activity will help your child to develop fine skills and observation.

What you need

• Styrofoam
• Piper cleaners
• Beads (with holes large enough to be inserted within a pipe cleaner)

Instructions

• Make holes in the Styrofoam.
• Insert the beads in the pipe cleaners
• Insert two ends of the pipe cleaners in two different holes on the Styrofoam.

Help your child decorate the Styrofoam like this.

13. Paper Plate Spiders

Let Incy Wincy Spider become a reality for your child by making this fun paper plate spider. This craft activity is simple and colorful and will help your child to have much fun.

What you need

• A White Paper Plate
• Pipe cleaners
• Color
• Googly eyes

Instructions:

• First put color on the white paper plate.
• Paste the googly eyes to make it into a face
• Punch the six holes for the six legs of the spider on the bottom half of the rim of the plate.
• Twist and insert one pipe cleaners in each of the eight holes

Sing the song of ‘Incy Wincy Spider’ and enjoy this craft with your child.

14. Beaded Dragonfly

If your child gets excited at the sight of a butterfly or a dragonfly, then it is time that you make one for him/her. Join the frolic of this fun-filled craft activity and make your little one a nice dragonfly.

What you need

• One blue pipe cleaner
• Scissors
• Glue
• Two Silver glitter stick
• Two wiggly eyes
• 15 translucent pony beads

Instructions

• Cut one and a half inch of the blue pipe cleaner and then fold it into half.
• After inserting one or two beads, twist the end of the pipe cleaner and fold it to prevent the beads from falling.
• Then keep on adding beads till the end is reached.
• Keep a gap between the last two beads to accommodate the wings.
• To make the wings you need to fold the silver glitter stick into half.
• Twist the end together so that they join them in a circle and then pinch the center, in order to form the oval shape.
• For the second pair of smaller wings, cut two inches from the other silver glitter stick and repeat the previous step.
• Stick the larger wings on the opening you have left between the last two blue beads.
• Repeat the same for the smaller wings, just below the larger ones.
• Stick the wiggly eyes on the top bead

Now your child can fly it around the house making that buzzing sound and enjoy the craft.

15. Firefly

If your child is already fascinated by the fireflies or the lightening bugs then it is the perfect time to make one for him/her. This simple craft activity will make sure that your child understands the anatomy of a firefly while you can let him/her know why they glow in the dark.

What you need

• One black pipe cleaner.
• 8 black pony beads
• 3 yellow pony beads which glow in the dark.
• Scissors
• One gold glitter stick
• Glue
• 2 small wiggly eyes

Instructions

• Cut of three inches of the black pipe cleaner.
• After inserting one or two beads, twist the end of the pipe cleaner and fold it to prevent the beads from falling. Make sure that you are inserting the yellow glowing beads at first, before the others.
• Then keep on adding the black beads till the end is reached.
• Keep a gap between the last two beads to accommodate the wings.
• To make the wings you need to fold the golden glitter stick into half.
• Twist the end together so that they join them in a circle and then pinch the center, in order to form the oval shape.
• Stick the wings on the opening you have left between the last two blue beads.
• Stick the wiggly eyes on the top bead

Show the dragonfly to your child under the light and then switch off the light and show him/her how the tail glows.

16. Pipe Cleaner Ninjas

If your son is into action figures and cartoons then this craft activity will be perfect for him. Follow these simple steps to make him some homemade action figure and instantly become a supermom.

What you need

• Sharpies- To get a fine tip for the faces and the heads.
• Wooden beads for making the heads
• Colored drinking straw
• Glue
• Plastic pony beads
• Scissors
• Piper Cleaners

Instructions

• Twist and bend three pipe cleaners together at the center of the each. Make at least a couple of complete twists to make it stronger
• Insert three pony beads over both the legs
• Cut a drinking straw into eight equal one inch segments. Two segments are for two arms. Two for each leg along with a pony bead in the middle of the leg segments
• Twist another pipe cleaner to form the hands and the feet.
• Draw a face on the wooden bead and slide it on the top two pipe cleaners.

Let your action loving boy enjoy the fight with your homemade ninja.

17. Pipe Cleaner Alphabets

Learning alphabets is lot more fun when you turn it into a craft activity. Follow these simple steps to play the fun ABC game with your child.

What you need

• Pipe Cleaners
• Kid scissors

Instructions

• Depending on the letter you want to make bend and fold the pipe cleaners.
• For some capital letters you need more than one or two pipe cleaners.
• Cut the appropriate portions and stick them accordingly to make the letter.

Arrange all the 26 alphabets accordingly and have fun.

18. Coffee Filter Butterflies

Now that you have made spiders, dragonflies and fireflies prepare these magnificent butterflies. This craft activity will definitely trigger your child’s creativity level.

What you need

• Paint Brushes
• Water color paints
• Colored pipe cleaners
• Coffee filters

Instructions

• Open and spread a coffee filter
• Paint it with the paint brush and the watercolor.
• Let the paint dry for 15 to 20 minutes
• Fold a pipe cleaner into half and then slide it upwards to bring it to the center of the coffee filter.
• The folded part of the pipe cleaner will hold the butterfly.
• The open ends should form the antennas.
• Twist it a couple of times to make the grip stronger.
• Curl the end of the pipe cleaner to give it the final touch.

Now the coffee filter butterfly is ready and your child can give another go at it.

19. Pattern Snakes

Just like the dragonfly or the firefly, pattern snakes are also another easy pipe cleaner craft activity. Follow these very simple steps to create the fun snake for your child.

What you need

• Pipe Cleaners
• Colored Beads
• Wiggly eyes
• Glue

Instructions

• Take a pipe cleaner and twist its end so that the beads do not fall off.
• Make sure that your child inserts the beads following a color pattern, one by one.
• Stick the wiggly eyes at the top most bead

Now your child can swirl around the snake and have fun with this patterned craft project.

20. Pipe Cleaner Can Wraps

Before disposing off your used cans or bottles you can allow your child to have the last bit of fun with it. Make sure that the bottle and can is unleaded and it won’t cut your child.

What you need

• Used can or bottle
• Pipe cleaner
• Scissors

Instructions

• Wrap the bottle or the can with a pipe cleaner and tie a knot where the two ends meets.
• Cut the remaining portion off
• Repeat the process till the entire bottle or the can is wrapped.

21. Pipe Cleaner Wind Chimes

Make something which you and your child can both notice every day. Making wind chimes with pipe cleaners is really easy and fun.

What you need

• Jingle bells
• Pony Beads
• Painted stick
• Pipe cleaner
• String or ribbon

Instructions

• Take a pipe cleaner and wrap it around the ends of the stick. It will take a shape of a semi-circle on the stick.
• Add beads to the other pipe cleaners with the bells tied at the end.
• Tie the other pipe cleaners to the initial pipe cleaner which is being tied as a hook to the stick.
• Tie a ribbon at the middle of the stick and hang it in front of the door.

Listen to the sweet sound of the wind chime together with your child and relish the creation together.