Learn how to make paper beads! This easy kids craft is perfect for friendship bracelets, necklaces, garlands, and more.
Hello, I’m Keri. On my blog Backyard Summer Camp, I share simple crafts you can do with your kids using everyday supplies. Today at Messy Momma Crafts I want to teach you how to make DIY paper beads with your kids.
Want more ideas like this? Subscribe today and get our weekly newsletter plus other exclusive gifts and offers — all for FREE!
Paper beads are a great boredom buster that keeps little hands busy. Make them on a snow day or a rainy day – or for a fun summer camp craft. You need just a few supplies that you might already have at home.
I used fun spring pastel colors, but use your child’s favorite colors or patterns! You could even make these in different colors to match every holiday year-round.
Or set up a craft making station at your child’s birthday party with paper in the party colors. It will be a fun keepsake from the party.
This craft is pretty simple, so if your child is old enough to manipulate the paper around a pencil, they can probably do this. Likewise, teens will love getting creative and coming up with their own patterns and variations.
Our DIY beads are easy to make and can be use for handmade jewelry, as well as tons of other fun crafts! Use them for:
- Keychains and lanyards
- Mobiles or wind chimes
- Tassels for a bookmark or pen cap
- Add to macrame projects
- Beaded garland or curtains – (Although you’ll need a lot of them!)
- Any other crafts you might make with regular beads
How To Make Paper Beads
Once your kids have made a few sets of these, they’ll want to make them by the dozen!
What You Need:
Here’s what you’ll need from the store. The exact amounts are in the printable craft card at the bottom of this post.
Craft Tools Needed:
Supplies Needed:
Paper Bead Craft Tips
What kind of paper do you use for paper beads?
Any craft paper that’s thin enough to roll is fine for beads. We used colored printer paper and scrapbook paper for ours. Card stock may be too thick to roll smoothly. Try using magazines, newspaper, or junk mail.
What kind of glue do you use for paper beads?
The best glue for paper beads is craft glue because is holds well. We used an Elmer’s school glue stick because it’s easy for kids to handle and dries quickly.
How do you seal paper beads?
Sealing your finished beads is not necessary, but it will help them last longer if you’ll wear them often. Paint them with several coats of clear Mod Podge and allow them to dry completely.
How can you make paper beads different sizes?
You can adjust the size of your finished beads by making the width of each paper strip wider or narrower than 1-inch intervals. The skinnier your bead at the base, the rounder it will be when rolled.
What can you wrap paper beads around?
We used a pencil, but you can use any rounded tube shape. A wooden dowel or kitchen skewer is a handy alternative, especially if you want to make the center opening smaller.
DIY Paper Beads
Equipment
- 1 Pair of scissors
- 1 ruler
- 1 Pencil
Ingredients
- 1 sheet craft paper
- 1 stick school glue
Instructions
- Draw the bead template.Start with an 8.5×11-inch paper and cut it to be 10-inches long. Along the short side, measure and mark every 1-inch from left to right. (You’ll have a half-inch on the end.) Rotate the paper and repeat making marks from left to right. Use the ruler to connect the marks, making long triangles.
- Cut out each paper strip.Use scissors to cut along all the lines, separating the triangles. The 2 half-sized triangles on the ends can be discarded.
- Wrap the paper around a pencil.To make a bead, wrap a paper triangle around a pencil, starting at the wide end with the pretty side of the paper facing out. Unroll the paper, then roll it back up while applying glue down the whole length. Be careful not to put glue between the paper and pencil. Remove the bead from the pencil and allow the glue to dry.
- Use beads to make necklaces and bracelets.Repeat the process to make as many beads as you like. String the beads onto a length of yarn, elastic, or ribbon – or use them to make other bead crafts!
Love the ideas you see here on Messy Momma Crafts? Subscribe today and get our weekly newsletter plus other exclusive gifts and offers — all for FREE!
What’s Next?
If you liked making paper beads, then be sure to check out Backyard Summer Camp for even more easy kids’ activities.
More Craft Ideas
If you enjoyed making paper beads then you will love these kids craft ideas:
Leave a Reply