Making a pipe cleaner crown is a quick and affordable craft. It’s perfect to make for a birthday, shower, or as an addition to your dress up supplies (or the perfect photo booth prop).
All you’ll need for this kids craft is 5-10 minutes, pipe cleaners in the color of your choice, and a glue gun to be ready to customize it to any theme or event! It would be a great accessory for a Halloween costume, too.
Not only are pipe cleaners super affordable, they’re really versatile. We’ve made pipe cleaner flowers and animals, and they are a great item to keep a stash of for craft time. Little hands can definitely help with this project.
This crown is going to be a favorite with your kiddos. Just make sure to keep it on a table or shelf if you want it to last a while—pipe cleaners aren’t the most sturdy material.
Why we love pipe cleaners:
Pipe cleaner crafts are great because they encourage creativity when kids play with them. You can make them into whatever you can dream up!
They’re sparkly and made from chenille wrapped wire, which is a softer material, so this crown won’t hurt or weigh much when it’s on a child’s head. They come in a variety of colors, which opens all kinds of options!
Why kids love this pipe cleaner crown:
- You can size it specifically for them. A lot of toy crowns wind up either being too big or too small.
- It can be made any color or theme. Have a Disney fan? Try adding mouse ears instead!
- If it’s damaged, you can fix it because it’s bendy, and you can easily make another one. One note: After the crown has been bent a lot of times, the pipe cleaners won’t hold their shape as well over time.
What you’ll need to make it:
- pipe cleaners (here are some sparkly ones!)
- scissors
- pom-poms (optional)
- glue or low-temp hot glue gun (if using pom-poms)
How to make the crown:
Start by twisting two pipe cleaners together to make a circle the size of the child’s head.
Next, bend another pipe cleaner in half to make an upside down “V” and twist ends around crown base to attach.
To make the next section, twist the middle around your finger to make a loop, and then twist and attach bottom ends to crown base.
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To make the smaller arches, cut pipe cleaners in half and make into an upside down “U”. Attach inside of the biggest crown section.
For extra effect, you can glue small pom-poms onto the tops of the crown. I wouldn’t recommend using large ones as the pipe cleaners can’t support the weight and they will pull the points over.
More craft ideas:
Need a few ideas to make this pipe cleaner craft special? Try these!
- Make a special Valentine’s Day crown with pink, white and red colors.
- Create a birthday crown with your child’s favorite colors.
- Make matching ones for your favorite Christmas Elf on the Shelf visitor.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How should you store a pipe cleaner crown?
These are fragile, so if you’re wanting it to last a while you should keep it on a shelf or a table.
Can you reshape pipe cleaners after they’ve been played with?
Yes! You can technically reshape and reuse them several times, but they will start to lose their shape after they are bent a lot.
How many pipe cleaners do you need to make a crown?
This will vary based on the size of your child’s head, but I used 12 for the base and the smaller shapes I incorporated.
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Get the How-To
Supplies
- 12 pieces pipe cleaner (in colors of choice)
- 6 single poms (optional, if using)
Instructions
- Start by twisting two pipe cleaners together to make a circle the size of the child's head.
- Bend another pipe cleaner in half to make an upside down "V" and twist ends around crown base to attach.
- For the next section, twist the middle around your finger to make a loop, and then twist and attach bottom ends to crown base.
- For the smaller arches, cut pipe cleaners in half and make into an upside down "U" and attach inside of the biggest crown section.
- For extra effect, you can glue small pom-poms onto the tops of the crown—just don't do large ones as they will pull the points over.