25 Interesting & Crazy Pipe Cleaner Crafts For Kids To Do

Also called tinsel stems or chenille stems, pipe cleaners are highly versatile and functional. If you are looking for some pipe cleaner crafts for kids, this post will help. Children love to play with pipe cleaners since they are easy to fold and twist. Pipe cleaners are low-priced and easily available. Crafts with pipe cleaners help children develop creativity and imagination and hone their motor skills. Children can use their imagination to make anything they like with pipe cleaners. Most of these crafts are simple and can be done by children of any age group. In this post, we bring you a list of interesting ones for your kids. Read on to know more.

25 Pipe Cleaner Crafts For Kids

Pipe cleaners can be used to make several crafts. We have included some easy-to-make crafts for children of all ages on this list.

1. Pipe cleaner flowers

Make pretty flowers in different colors to brighten up your living room or your children’s play area. These pipe cleaner flowers are beautiful and easy to make, and you can display them in a vase or a flower pot.

You will need:

• Pipe cleaners in different colors
• Green pipe cleaners for stems
• Scissors
• Glue
• Vase or flower pot
• Floral arrangement foam (if you are using a flower pot)

Age group:

• 6–10 years

How to make:

• Place three pipe cleaners on top of one another so that they make a star pattern.
• Bend the pipe cleaners around each other to secure them together. Maintain the star shape as you do this.
• Roll each end of the star in a tight spiral to the center. Do not worry if they overlap.
• Once all the pipe cleaners are rolled up, attach a green pipe cleaner to the flower by twisting it over the center of the flower. Fix it in place with a drop of glue.
• Take a pipe cleaner of a darker shade for the center of the flower.
• Cut it into a third of its length and roll it into a tight spiral.
• Attach it to the center of the flower using glue.
• Make more flowers in different colors and arrange them in a vase or a flower pot.

2. Flower ring

Pipe cleaners can be converted into beautiful jewelry. This flower ring made of pipe cleaners can be worn, and you may customize it based on your child’s color preferences.

You will need:

• Six pipe cleaners in the colors of your choice
• One green pipe cleaner for the stem

Age group:

• 6–10 years

How to make:

• Hold the six pipe cleaners at the center and fold them around your ring finger.
• Spread out the ends of the pipe cleaners.
• Start curling in each of the ends towards the center in tight spirals. They may overlap each other. This is the flower.
• Take the green pipe cleaner and wrap it in half just below the flower.
• Twist once and spread out the ends in a ‘V’ shape.

3. Pipe cleaner wand

If your child is obsessed with princesses and magic, this is a perfect craft to make. Decorate it in any way you want to make your child feel more magical.

You will need:

• Pipe cleaners
• Beads
• Glue
• Glass jar

Age group:

• 4–7 years

How to make:

• Take two pipe cleaners and twist the bottom half together.
• Thread in beads through the two ends and curl the ends to form different shapes.
• Join the ends using glue.
• You can even use glitter or sequins to decorate the pipe cleaner.
• Create as many wands as your child wants and place them in a glass jar.

4. Pipe cleaner bumblebee

If your child is a little busy bee, they will love making this colorful and happy bumblebee. Your child will soon be buzzing along with their new creation.

You will need:

• One black pipe cleaner
• One yellow pipe cleaner
• One white pipe cleaner
• Yellow pom-pom
• Glue
• Googly eyes
• Scissors

Age group:

• 4–10 years

How to make:

• Cut the yellow and black pipe cleaners in half.
• Take one piece of each and twist their ends to join them.
• Roll them around your finger in an alternating fashion to make the bumblebee’s body.
• Cut the white pipe cleaner in half. Pass one half through the body and curl it to make wings on both sides of the body.
• Wrap the other half of the black pipe cleaner around the yellow pom-pom.
• Spread the ends of the pipe cleaner so that they look like antennae.
• Stick googly eyes to the pom-pom.
• Attach the pom-pom head to the body with glue. Let dry.

5. Beaded pipe cleaner flowers

Flowers made out of pipe cleaners are pretty. You can make them in different colors and fill a vase in your kitchen or living room.

You will need:

• 5 pipe cleaners in different colors
• 1 green pipe cleaner
• 1 yellow pipe cleaner
• Plastic pony beads
• Glue
• Scissors

Age group:

• 3 years and above

How to make:

• Cut the five pipe cleaners in half.
• Put three to five beads in each half,
• Fold and twist the ends together to make tear-shaped pieces (petals).
• Place a petal on one end of the green pipe cleaner (stem). Twist the end of the petal around the stem.
• Do the same with the other petals, placing them in a circular shape like a flower. Try not to let the green stem show after you have placed all the petals.
• Cut the yellow pipe cleaner in half and roll in a tight spiral.
• Glue it to the center of the flower.

6. Pipe cleaner crown

Which child doesn’t want to be a prince or a princess? They can make their very own pretty crown and decorate them as they wish.

You will need:

• Seven or eight pipe cleaners
• Pom-poms
• Glue

Age group:

• 4 years and above

How to make:

• Take two pipe cleaners and twist their ends together.
• Next, stretch them in the form of a circle. This is the base of the crown (the part that sits on your head).
• Wrap the other pipe cleaners around the base in triangular shapes. You can add different shapes of your choice.
• Glue pom-poms on the triangles where you think there might be jewels in the crown.

7. Pipe cleaner glasses

If your child is a Harry Potter fan, they will love this craft. Let them make these glasses and the wands, and they will be a wizard or witch in no time.

You will need:

• Five sparkly pipe cleaners
• Scissors

Age group:

• 8 years and above

How to make:

• Take two sparkly pipe cleaners in different colors and twist them around one another all the way.
• Cut these twisted pipe cleaners in half.
• Repeat the process with two more pipe cleaners in the same color combination.
• Make circles out of two of them.
• Attach the straight halves to the circles and bend them at the end (where they go behind the ears).
• Cut one-third of a pipe cleaner, and use it to attach the two circles (this is the piece that goes over the nose).

8. Pipe cleaner spiders

Does your child love spiders, and are you looking for some spooky decorations for Halloween? These pipe cleaner spiders are just right for you.

You will need:

• Black and orange pipe cleaners (2 each)
• Small beads

Age group:

6 years and above

How to make:

• Take four pipe cleaners, hold the bunch in the center, and twist several times to make the spider’s body.
• Spread out the pipe cleaners to make the legs.
• Slide beads up the legs until they reach the body. Fold the legs around the halfway mark and slide a different colored bead on the joint.
• Slide more beads on the leg to the base and fold the base so that the beads do not slip off.
• Adjust the legs so that the spider can stand.
• You may hang the spider up from the ceiling.

9. Pipe cleaner jewel ring

You children can never have enough rings if they love playing dress-up with their friends. These cute bejeweled rings will make sure they stand out in a crowd.

You will need:

• Pipe cleaners
• Faux gems (you can get them at craft stores)
• Glue
• Scissors

Age group:

• 5 years and older

How to make:

• Fold a pipe cleaner in half and wrap it around your child’s finger.
• Twist it a couple of times.
• Hold the two ends of the pipe cleaner and twist them around to make a circular platform.
• Glue the end together.
• Apply a drop of glue to the top of the platform and stick the jewel there firmly. Let dry.

10. Pipe cleaner birds

These feathery friends are easy to make and beautiful to look at. Make some multicolored birds and hang them on your window for an inviting look to your home.

You will need:

• Pipe cleaners
• Fake feathers
• Construction paper
• Glue
• Googly eyes

Age group:

• 4 years and above

How to make:

• Twist a pipe cleaner in an ‘S’ shape and roll the ends tightly until the center.
• Cut small triangles from the construction paper for the beak.
• Use glue to attach the feathers, the beak, and the googly eyes to the bird.
• You can decorate the bird in any other way you want.

11. Pipe cleaner bunny ears

If you want to dress your child up as an Easter bunny or a rabbit at Halloween, this is the craft you should try. It is cute and easy, and you can have multicolored bunnies right in your living room.

You will need:

• Plastic headband
• Large chenille stems in white and pink
• Wire cutters
• Scissors
• Hot glue
• Tulle (optional)

Age group:

• 8 years and above (will need adult supervision)

How to make:

• Take a white pipe cleaner to form the outer part of the ear.
• Cut a pink pipe cleaner a bit shorter in length to the white one. This will form the inner part of the ear.
• Form an oval from the pipe cleaners and twist the ends together.
• Repeat the process to form the other pair of ears.
• Roll white pipe cleaners to the headband.
• Use hot glue to attach the white and pink ear parts to the headband.
• Make sure you operate the hot glue gun only under adult supervision.
• You can decorate the headband with tulle or any other decoration of your choice.

12. Pipe cleaner cat in the hat

Make Dr. Seuss’s famous The Cat in the Hat character with pipe cleaners. You can use them as pencil toppers or finger puppets.

You will need:

• Red, white, and black pipe cleaners (2 each)
• Small foam craft ball
• Googly eyes
• Glue

Age group:

• 4–8 years

How to make:

• Cut off an inch from each pipe cleaner and keep them aside for detailing.
• Take the red and white pipe cleaners and twist them on your finger in an alternating fashion. This is the hat.
• Apply a drop of glue on the foam ball and fix it on the open end of the ‘hat.’
• Attach the googly eyes on the ball.
• Twist the black pipe cleaners on your finger to form the body of the cat. Stick it under the ball.
• Take the two one-inch pieces of black pipe cleaners and cut out a tiny nose and ears for the cat. Use the rest of the pieces for the hands. Glue them all in place.
• Twist the one-inch red pipe cleaner in an ‘8’ shape and attach it at the neck as a bowtie.
• Cut the white pipe cleaner pieces into tiny pieces and twist them around the ends of the hands for gloves.
• Use the rest of the white pipe cleaners as a tail.

13. Pipe cleaner bracelets

Braid pipe cleaners together to make beautiful friendship bracelets. They are easy to make and take very little time.

You will need:

• Pipe cleaners in different colors
• Beads

Age group:

• 4 years and above

How to make:

• Take four pipe cleaners in the colors of your choice.
• Twist the top of the pipe cleaners together and hold it.
• Insert beads to the pipe cleaners from the open ends.
• Twist the two pipe cleaners in the middle together. Then bring the two outer ones together and twist them together.
• Continue down till the end.
• Twist the ends to hold the shape.

14. Pipe cleaner pig

If your child is a Peppa Pig fan, they will love making this tiny pink pig. This cute craft is easy to make, and they can display it on their desks or show them to their friends at school.

You will need:

• Pink pipe cleaners (6-7 pieces)
• Pom-pom
• Scissors
• Glue
• Googly eyes

Age group:

• 4–8 years

How to make:

• Wrap three or four pipe cleaners around the pom-pom ball and tuck in the ends. This is the body of the pig.
• Roll pipe cleaners in a circle for the face and a smaller raised circle for the snout.
• Glue the snout to the face, and glue them both to the body.
• Cut a pipe cleaner into four pieces and make legs out of them. Attach them with glue.
• Cut a smaller piece, twist it, and attach it as a tail.
• Stick googly eyes on the face.
• Cut two small pieces of pipe cleaner, roll them into circles, and stick them as ears.

15. Pipe cleaner dog

If your child has always wanted a dog, or you want to make a keepsake that looks like your dog, this craft is just right for you. You can use pipe cleaners of the same color as your dog.

You will need:

• Pipe cleaners
• Black beads
• Glue
• Scissors

Age group:

• 4 years and above

How to make:

• Roll three pipe cleaners around your finger. This is the body of the dog.
• Cut two pipe cleaners into halves, one for each pair of legs.
• Cut an inch off a pipe cleaner for the tail and two one-inch pieces for the ears.
• Roll one pipe cleaner into a circle for the face.
• Roll another into a raised circle for the snout.
• Fold the halves for the legs and attach them to the body. Fold the lower portion of the pipe cleaners to shape them into feet.
• Attach the tail in place.
• Glue the face and snout together and then glue them to the body.
• Glue the ears to the face.
• Stick beads for the eyes and nose.
• You can also stick a pink pipe cleaner on the face for a tongue.

16. Pipe cleaner starfish

Are you looking for a great summer craft that is also easy to make? Here’s one. This easy-peasy pipe cleaner starfish is the perfect idea for a beach-themed craft.

You will need:

• Pipe cleaners
• Googly eyes
• Glue

Age group:

• 4 years and above

How to make:

• Fold a pipe cleaner in a zigzag shape so that it looks like VVVVV.
• Bring the start and endpoints so that it resembles a star and twist the ends together.
• Glue on googly eyes.

17. Pipe cleaner octopus

What has eight legs and can be found in the ocean? The octopus, of course. Here is a simple pipe cleaner octopus craft for children.

You will need:

• Four pipe cleaners (2 of the same color)
• Googly eyes
• Glue

Age group:

• 5 years and above

How to make:

• Take four pipe cleaners and fold them in half.
• Twist them all around each other so that a circular, body-like structure is formed.
• Keep the ends free for the legs.
• Fold the ends of the pipe cleaner legs in different directions.
• Stick googly eyes, and your octopus is ready.

18. Pipe cleaner finger puppets

Make brightly colored finger puppets from pipe cleaners. They can be made in minutes and are different from the usual finger puppets children usually play with.

You will need:

• Pipe cleaners
• Small pom-poms
• Googly eyes
• Glue
• Scissors

Age group:

• 3 years and above

How to make:

• Wrap a pipe cleaner on one of your fingers. Make 4-5 rounds. Leave around half of the pipe cleaner free.
• Fold the free end to make ears for the puppet.
• Attach googly eyes to a pom-pom and stick it between the ears.

19. Pipe cleaner aliens

Does your child believe in aliens? You can make some cute (or scary) aliens from pipe cleaners.

You will need:

• Pipe cleaners
• Pom-poms of different sizes and colors
• Googly eyes of different sizes
• Scissors
• Glue
• Beads, sequins, glitter, pencil shavings, foam, straws, and other decorative materials

Age group:

• 5 years and above

How to make:

• Roll a pipe cleaner around your finger for the body of the alien.
• Cut small pieces from another pipe cleaner for the limbs.
• Make a circular shape for the face.
• Stick as many googly eyes as you want on the face.
• Glue them all together.
• Use pom-poms for a nose or an extra head.
• Use other decorative materials to add extra hands, legs, antennae, or tails.

20. Pipe cleaner fishing game

This is an easy craft to make, and it will keep children occupied for quite a while. This game is also helpful for improving your children’s hand-eye coordination.

You will need:

• Different-colored pipe cleaners
• A large blue sheet of felt
• Colored yarn
• Big magnet
• Wooden dowel or chopstick
• Glue

Age group:

• 5 years and above

How to make:

• Take a pipe cleaner and fold it in half.
• Form a circle and twist the two ends. Spread the ends in a way that looks like a fishtail. Your fish is ready. Make plenty of them.
• Cut off a length of yarn and attach the magnet to one end using glue.
• Tie the other end of the string to the wooden dowel.
• Spread the felt sheet on a flat surface. Put the fish on the sheet.
• Let your child catch the fish with the fishing rod. The magnet attracts the metal in the pipe cleaners.

21. Pipe cleaner lollipop

If your child wants to run a pretend candy shop, and you are unwilling to trust them with so much candy, you can make these lollipops and other candies using pipe cleaners. They are easy to make and very pretty.

You will need:

• Pipe cleaners
• Lollipop sticks
• Glue

Age group:

• 4 years and above

How to make:

• Take two pipe cleaners of different colors and twist them around each other.
• Roll them in a tight spiral. Apply glue in places to keep the shape in place.
• Glue on a lollipop stick.

22. Pipe cleaner dinosaur

If your child loves dinosaurs, they can make almost any dinosaur from pipe cleaners. Add details to different dinosaurs to make them stand out.

You will need:

• Pipe cleaners (6–12 for each dinosaur)
• Googly eyes
• Glue
• Scissors
• Small pom-poms

Age group:

• 6 years and above

How to make:

• Start by making the body. Roll 3-4 pipe cleaners around your finger and then remove.
• Add other body parts such as the neck and tail.
• Wrap some pipe cleaners around a small pom-pom for the face of the dinosaur.
• Glue the face onto the neck and stick some googly eyes.
• Cut two pipe cleaners and twist them at the end for the limbs.
• Add other details, such as spikes or ears.

23. Pipe cleaner crystal stars

Make these stars, and your child will not want any other stars for Christmas. While the crystals take some time to form, the actual craft takes next to no time, and you can make a bunch of these stars at once.

You will need:

• Pipe cleaners
• Borax
• Water
• Star-shaped cookie cutter
• String
• Wide-mouthed glass jars
• Popsicle sticks
• Gloves

Age group:

• 5 years and above

How to make:

• Wrap a pipe cleaner around a star-shaped cookie cutter and twist the ends together. Cut off the extra portion.
• Tie a string to the star.
• Tie the other end of the string to a popsicle stick. You can tie 2-3 stars to one popsicle stick.
• Balance the stick over the mouth of a glass jar so that the stars hang inside freely. They should not touch each other, the sides, or the bottom of the jar.
• Boil water and put borax in it. Mix until the borax dissolves completely.
• Pour the borax mixture into the jars so that the stars are covered completely. Remember that borax crystallizes on any surface, so take care not to cover the string with it.
• Leave it undisturbed for a day.
• Remove the stars carefully and display.
• Wear gloves while handling borax as it is abrasive. Also, in case of spillages on the counter, table, or floor, make sure you clean them carefully.

24. Pipe cleaner snakes

Snakes are not always scary and dark. They can be friendly and colorful as well, as this craft shows.

You will need:

• Pipe cleaners in different colors
• Perler beads
• Felt
• Googly eyes
• Glue

Age group:

• 4 years and above

How to make:

• Roll one end of a pipe cleaner thrice in a tight spiral. This is the head of the snake.
• From the other end, thread Perler beads of different colors.
• Twist the end to prevent the beads from falling off.
• Cut a small V-shape from the felt.
• Stick this shape for the tongue of the snake. Attach googly eyes as well.

25. Pipe cleaner and popsicle stick butterfly

Have you ever tried catching a lovely, colorful butterfly? You can make those in a few minutes with this craft idea.

You will need:

• Popsicle sticks
• Pipe cleaners
• Googly eyes
• Paints
• Markers
• Glue

Age group:

• 4 years and above

How to make:

• Paint a popsicle stick, let dry, and decorate it with markers.
• Take a pipe cleaner and bend it in the shape of an ‘8’.
• Twist the ends together.
• Repeat the process with another pipe cleaner.
• These two pipe cleaners make the wings of the butterfly.
• Stick them on the back of the popsicle stick so that there are two wings on each side.
• Turn over and stick googly eyes on the top of the stick. Your pretty and colorful butterfly is ready.

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