By Kimberly McLeod

Pipe cleaner candy canes are one of my favorite holiday crafts. You only need pipe cleaners and pony beads, and you can hang them on a tree or give them as gifts this holiday season! They also make a fun fine-motor activity for kids of all ages, with the added bonus of being mess-free. To personalize them for gifts, kids can add names on the candy canes instead of holiday-inspired words. 

Supplies Needed: 

• Pony Beads
• Alphabet Beads
• Pipe Cleaner

How to Make a Pipe Cleaner Candy Cane:

1. String alphabet beads into the word you want to make, starting from the bottom of the pipe cleaner with the first letter of the word.
2. String pony beads onto the pipe cleaner from both sides, leaving about a 1/4 inch of pipe cleaner exposed at each end.
3. Bend the pipe cleaner into a candy cane shape. 
4. Fold the pipe cleaner over on each end to close it off. You’ll need the folded part to create a small “ball” that is larger than the bead, so the beads don’t fall off.  

TRY THIS! You can use any kind of bead on the pipe cleaner — wood beads, larger decorative beads, or you can even make your own paper beads. 

If you don’t have pony beads on hand, you can still make these pipe cleaner candy canes using paper beads. 

Here’s how to make them:

1. Start by cutting a strip of paper. A long triangular shape works the best, where one end is wide and the other end is narrow. You can use scrap paper, magazine paper or colored paper. Avoid thick cardstock. 
2. Start wrapping. Place the wide end of the paper against a pencil. Roll the paper tightly around the pencil. Add some glue along the paper as you roll. When you get to the end, add a small dab of glue to glue the end. I recommend a glue stick as it’s a little easier to work with. 
3. Gently slide the bead off the pencil.
4. Seal the bead when done. You can seal the bead together with a craft glue sealer or clear nail polish. 

You should now have a paper bead you can use to make jewelry, crafts, or this pipe cleaner candy cane!

With a community of over 5 million followers across social media, author and mother Kimberly McLeod created The Best Ideas for Kids for busy parents, teachers and childcare providers. The Best Ideas for Kids is a popular platform with DIY craft ideas, screen-free activities, recipes, and printable worksheets that keep kids entertained for hours!