Threading with beads is great fine motor practice for little hands, and with Valentines Day approaching, what better use for your beaded pipe cleaners than to turn them into heart ornaments! Pipe cleaners are great for this type of ornament as they are so flexible and easy to shape, so you could make lots of different versions of this craft for any season of the year – pipe cleaner beaded candy cane ornaments are also really popular at Christmas!
Supplies
To make this craft you’ll need: (per heart)
- Pipe cleaner
- Beads
- Ribbon
- 1 bell
We used the heart bead decoration craft kits from Baker Ross which will provide all of this in one convenient package. You can get a pack of 6 for £3.49 or pack of 30 for £15.90
Making Valentines Heart Bead Decorations
First, we added one bead to the middle of the pipe cleaner, which marks where the point of the heart will be.
Then, the kids worked on threading beads onto both sides of the pipe cleaners. They can make a specific pattern with the beads, or just put them on however they like – depending on age.
My youngest is 4 and was able to thread the beads easily and independently, since the pipe cleaners are pretty easy to work with. Kids can thread the whole heart in about five minutes, so it’s a quick and easy craft but does take concentration while they are putting it together.
Once the whole pipe cleaner is threaded, bend it into a good heart shape and tie it together at the top. Then add some ribbon to hang it up.
My kids all enjoyed making these beaded heart decorations and they are an ideal quick and easy non messy craft for when you have a few spare minutes to fill.
More Valentines Crafts
Check out the entire Valentines range at Baker Ross.
You might also like some of these other ideas here on In The Playroom
Valentines Thumbprint Heart Bookmark
“I Leaf You” Valentines Day Card
Scented Spice Painted Valentines Cards
Valentines Chatterbox Printable
Glittery Valentines Day Process Art
Follow our Valentines Day board on Pinterest for even more ideas
Follow Anna – In The Playroom’s board Valentines on Pinterest.
And don’t forget to pin this craft for later, or share with your friends on Facebook
We’re part of the Baker Ross craft network
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
This is a fabulous activity for any time of the year. I may try this when on family childminding duties
These are lots of fun to make and are perfect for Christmas tree ornaments too. (We’ve also made them in candy cane shapes) xx