Gifts Kids Can Make with Perler Beads

Earlier this year I shared some Perler bead projects for kids that includes a couple of fun projects for Christmas, but I also wanted to share some melty bead projects kids can make as gifts.

If you’re like us you have tons of Perler beads (but if you need more here’s a good set) and can always use new ways to use them, so these Perler bead gift ideas are great for kids to make to give of for you to use around the house.

I love the classic melted bead bowl project, which you can see in this list of ideas from Kids Activities Blog. You can use all your leftovers from other projects to make super colorful bowls. There are lots of other great ideas in that list, too, so be sure to check it out.

A different take on the Perler bead bowl is this one from Left Brain Craft Brain, which uses a flat base and layers of rings fused together to make the sides of the bowl. This one uses glue to hold the rings together instead of melting.

Melt beads into discs and you can use them in a DIY mini kaleidoscope project, which would be great to give to another kid or as a stocking stuffer. Check out the instructions for this one at Babble Dabble Do.

Perler bead coasters are super easy to make, and if you have peg boards of different shapes you can make these square, circular or even star-shaped. The designs from Crafty Whatnot would be great for older kids to make, but younger kids can do stripes, color blocking or just place beads at random.

Make tiny designs with melty beads, then add them to a basic melt and pour soap base to make fun soap to give as gifts. I Can Teach My Child mostly used holiday themed designs in the soaps, but you can use whatever designs you like to make washing hands more fun.

Perler Bead Projects for Kids

Perler Bead Snowflake Patterns

When it’s hot outside it’s fun to do any kinds of activities that involve ice, water or anything cold. Check out my water and ice activities here, and read on for sensory and science experiments using and inspired by ice cream, and maybe grab a sweet treat after you’re finished.

In the Playroom has a bunch of ice cream inspired STEM challenges that would be great for older kids. These include things like designing an ice cream cone holder that will hold cones upright, making the highest stack of “scoops” (using cotton balls) and making a cover that can keep ice cream from melting so quickly. The challenges and printable pages kids can use as they work on their experiments individually or in teams are included in a free download.

This ice cream water table from Happy Toddler Playtime doesn’t use real ice cream, but you could try chilling the shaving cream for the fake ice cream base (though cans of shaving cream should not be frozen). Or just throw some ice cubes in there while you play.

You could also make fluffy ice cream slime (not edible) with this recipe from STEAMsational Family and use that in a sensory tray or table if you like.

Happy Toddler Playtime also has an ice cream cone volcano idea, which is the classic baking soda and vinegar project with an ice cream twist.

Turn building an ice cream cone into a lesson about sharing with this idea from Extremely Good Parenting. Read the book Should I Share My Ice Cream? and then make paper into an ice cream ball you can share with someone else (or just make for fun).

Learn about states of matter and sequencing with a melting Popsicle experiment (you could also do with ice cream) from Mrs. Jones’ Creation Station. This is a good one if you have a sunny spot on the playground or in the yard where kids can observe and time the melting of a frozen treat, ideally while eating their own. There’s also a free printable for kids to record their observations if they didn’t get too sticky.

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