How to make simple beaded garden ornaments to add color and interest to the garden or to potted plants. This is an easy craft that kids of all ages can enjoy.
Updated April 2021
We were on a roll with our beads and pipe cleaners the other day when we made our beaded bubble wands, so we just kept stringing beads to make these garden ornaments.
This is such a fun way to decorate your garden or backyard, and would even make a sweet gift for neighbors! They are easy to make and don’t require any special materials.
How to Make Beaded Garden Ornaments
MATERIALS
- Assorted beads (translucent beads are especially nice for this project)
- Pipe cleaners
- Wood dowels
- Hot glue gun (optional)
Time needed: 30 minutes.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Wrap a pipe cleaner around the dowel
The garden ornaments start out the same way the bubble wands start out — with a pipe cleaner twisted around one end of a wooden dowel.
- Add beads!
String beads onto the pipe cleaner. As you fill the pipe cleaner lengths with beads, just twist on another pipe cleaner and keep going.
Once you have five or six beaded pipe cleaners on the end of a dowel, you can use a little hot glue from the glue gun to ensure that they stay in place.
- Connect the ornaments to garden poles
Use wire to wrap the beaded ornament “handles” to garden poles (I used a bit of hot glue, too, but it was hard and useless by the time I made it to the backyard).
You could also try sticking the dowel into the hollow center of the bamboo pole or add the beaded wires directly to the garden pole.
We added the ornaments to the poles that were holding up our garden wish flags. Now they are just a tad bit fancier. I especially love how the beads glow in the sunlight!
More Nature and Garden Activities for Kids
- Garden and Nature Crafts for Kids
- How to Set Up a Kid Friendly Backyard
- 13 Nature Walk Activities for Kids (+ FREE Nature Scavenger Hunt Printable!)
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15 Comments
Rashmie @ Mommy Labs
June 1, 2012 at 7:14 amAnother lovely bead craft! Fabulous idea to make some ornaments for the garden. They look much like colourful fountain!
Ashley Parks
June 1, 2012 at 8:00 amlove this and the garden flags! I’m so doing this with my children for our fairy garden!
twilight jewellery
June 1, 2012 at 8:06 amI don’t think that this bead can be a garden ornaments. This was a creative and it is really looks good.
Amy Fields
June 2, 2012 at 9:14 pmVery pretty. Thanks for the great idea. This will tie in well with our nature unit at school!
lisa
June 4, 2012 at 6:00 pmJean- where do you find such a nice selection of beads- w/holes big enough for pipe cleaners? I have just found pony beads. Thanks! SO pretty.
Jean Van't Hul
June 4, 2012 at 9:39 pmLisa, I just bought our beads at AC Moore. The beads came in an assorted package and were on clearance for cheap. Like $1.60 or something. I think I just lucked out. You could look at the big craft stores, or fabric stores, and places like that. Our city has a bead store — I don’t know if you have anything like that near you. Good luck!
Jean Van't Hul
June 4, 2012 at 9:39 pmSounds like a fun tie in!
Jean Van't Hul
June 4, 2012 at 9:39 pmThanks!
Jean Van't Hul
June 4, 2012 at 9:40 pmHave fun with it! Maia is asking to make a fairy garden — something we haven’t done yet.
Jean Van't Hul
June 4, 2012 at 9:40 pmThanks, Rashmie!
Garden Ornaments
June 11, 2012 at 12:08 amThese beads are amazing work of yours to amplify the beauty of garden
Ulrike
June 12, 2012 at 10:16 amJust made them with my daughter- beautiful!
Thanks for sharing.
Garden Ornaments
June 27, 2012 at 4:40 amThese beads are very pretty and thanks for providing a unique idea
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July 23, 2012 at 1:47 pmDid this today with my boys (yes, I said boys)! They loved it! Even my three year old completed one! Such fun & thanks for the idea! It made what could have been against, ugly day, quite lovely!
Garden Ornaments
August 6, 2012 at 5:08 amThey are very pretty i love them