With only two supplies needed this Pony Bead Butterfly Craft is so easy to make! It’s a great spring kids activity and so cute to display. Thread your pony beads onto pipe cleaners and form them into a butterfly.

I love springtime. It’s like a fresh start! Everything starts to bloom, trees start getting green again, the air is crisp and cool, and beautiful little creatures, like butterflies, start buzzing to and from.

So, that’s why I love fun and bright springtime crafts that the kids can create as everything outside gets fun and bright too!

This pony bead butterfly craft is super simple and perfect for children of all ages. There’s no gluing, cutting, painting, or any other messy steps involved. You simply need some pony beads and pipe cleaners to create these fluttery friends.

I love to make these spring sugar cookies whenever we make spring crafts too. There’s just endless fun once springtime rolls around!

Why You’ll Love this Pony Bead Butterfly Craft

This craft only needs two supplies! It’s a great option for a last minute craft session or when you need a really affordable craft to create.
These butterflies are a great craft idea for large classes or a craft session that has limited time. A bead butterfly only takes 5 minutes to make!
The activity of stringing beads onto a pipe cleaner is great for the development of fine motor skills.

Overhead Image of the Pony Bead Butterfly Craft Supplies

Materials Needed for this Pony Bead Butterfly Craft

Pony Beads – The easiest option is to buy a large container of pony beads in various different colors. That way you’ll have plenty of colors to make your butterfly multi-colored.
Pipe Cleaners – You can use colored pipe cleaners or white pipe cleaners for this beaded pipe cleaner butterfly. I would recommend you stay away from the glittery pipe cleaners for this craft though. They’re a little harder to work with.

How to Make a Bead Butterfly

Grab two pipe cleaners of the same color and twist them together in the middle.
Begin stringing beads onto two of the ends of pipe cleaner and leave a third of an inch at the end. Then, twist the ends around the middle so that you create two beaded loops.
String beads on the other two pipe cleaner ends and leave two inches on the ends. Twist those pipe cleaners into the middle and leave the ends sticking up at the top to create attenas.
Curve the end of the pipe cleaners to make the antennas more curly. Then you’re all done!

Take two pipe cleaners and twist them together in the middle

String beads on two ends of the pipe cleaners and leave a little at the ends to tie into the middle of the pipe cleaners

Classroom Use

This pony bead butterfly craft is perfect to use in a classroom setting! Give each child two pipe cleaners and a small bowl of beads, or put a large bowl of beads in the center of the table if they are seated in a group setting. You can create beaded butterflies and teach them about the life cycle of a butterfly.

You could also read a book like The Very Hungry Caterpillar or My, Oh My — A Butterfly.

Can I use a different type of bead?

If you want to use a different type of bead, go for it! Just ensure that the holes of the beads are large enough to fit onto a pipe cleaner.

When I went to twist the two large loops to the center, I was left with little pipe cleaner nubs that poke out. What can I do to fix this?

An easy fix! If you have just a small piece left, just wrap it around the center again. If the pieces are longer, just cut them off with scissors. Or, you can unwrap them and add more beads to fill up the leftover space.

Pro Tips for the Best Bead Butterfly

To hang your butterfly craft, tie some fishing line or a ribbon around the center and hang it on the wall or from the ceiling.
Create a magnet out of your beaded pipe cleaner butterfly by gluing a small magnet to the center of the backside of your butterfly.
The cute butterflies make great gift decorations! Use a piece of ribbon and tie a butterfly onto the handle of a gift bag or the ribbon on a gift box.

Close up photo of a Completed Butterfly Craft

This precious little butterfly is such a fun spring craft. Go get some sunshine and make a fluttery friend!

More Spring Crafts You’ll Love

Want to make more butterflies? Check out this Coffee Filter Butterfly Craft.
If your spring ends up being way too rainy, bring the sunshine inside with this Rainbow Sun Craft.
Do your kids love watching all the birds around spring? Then make this Toilet Paper Roll Bird Feeder together!
This Handprint Butterfly is a wonderful keepsake craft.

Pony Bead Butterfly Craft

With only two supplies needed this Pony Bead Butterfly Craft is so easy to make! Thread your pony beads onto pipe cleaners and form them into a butterfly.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Materials

Instructions

Take two pipe cleaners and twist them together in the middle.
String the beads together on two ends of the pipe cleaners, leaving about a third of an inch at the end of the pipe cleaners. Twist the ends of the pipe cleaners around the middle, so you end up with two large beaded loops.
String the beads on the remaining two pipe cleaners leaving about 2 inches from the ends. Twist the pipe cleaners to the middle, with the remainder of the pipe cleaners sticking up at the top. Curve the tops of the two pipe cleaners to make your antennas.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.