Pipe Cleaner Dragonflies
  • Pipe Cleaner Dragonflies — photo 1
  • Pipe Cleaner Dragonflies — photo 2
  • Pipe Cleaner Dragonflies — photo 3
  • Pipe Cleaner Dragonflies — photo 4
  • Pipe Cleaner Dragonflies — photo 5
  • Pipe Cleaner Dragonflies — photo 6
Bugs & Butterflies · Craft

Pipe Cleaner Dragonflies

Colourful pipe cleaner dragonflies little hands can make in minutes, perfect for a nature-table afternoon.

  • Ages 3–8
  • 15 min
  • Mess: Low
  • Craft
Jump to the stepsGet the Dragonfly Challenge Printable
Time
15 min
Ages
3–8
Mess
Low
Prep
Grab & go
Pipe Cleaner Dragonflies
Why we love it

Twist, thread and flutter — a fifteen-minute insect craft

Two pipe cleaners, a handful of beads and a pair of wings is all it takes. Threading the beads is slow, absorbing work, and the finished dragonfly is sturdy enough to fly around the house for weeks.

What you need

Gather these first

Everything for this setup, in one list.

  • Pipe cleaners

    Pipe cleaners

    2 per dragonfly

    One body colour, one for wings

  • Pony beads

    Pony beads

    8-12 per dragonfly
  • Googly eyes

    Googly eyes

    2 per dragonfly
  • Craft glue

    Craft glue

    a dab
  • Scissors

    Scissors

    1

    Adult use

Supply cupboard

Supplies we keep on hand

The reusable bits behind this setup — no need to buy them twice.

  • Scissors

    Scissors

    grown-up helper
    View on Amazon

  • Pipe cleaners

    2 per dragonfly

    use what you already have at home

  • Glue

    a dab per bead

    use what you already have at home

  • Pony beads

    8-12 per dragonfly

    use what you already have at home

  • Googly eyes

    2 per dragonfly

    use what you already have at home

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Step by step

How to set up pipe cleaner dragonflies

Follow along at your own pace.

  1. Step 1: Thread the body

    Step 1: Thread the body

    Fold one pipe cleaner in half and thread the beads onto both strands together. The beads become the dragonfly's segmented body.

  2. Step 2: Shape the wings

    Step 2: Shape the wings

    Take the second pipe cleaner and make two loops on each side, twisting once in the middle so four wings fan out.

  3. Step 3: Join them

    Step 3: Join them

    Slide the wings between the top two beads and twist the body ends around them to lock everything in place.

  4. Step 4: Make the head

    Step 4: Make the head

    Bend the two loose ends into a small circle for the head, then curl the very tips forward as antennae.

  5. Step 5: Add eyes

    Step 5: Add eyes

    Glue a googly eye to each side of the head and let it dry flat for a few minutes.

What they're learning

Skills hiding inside the play

  • Fine motor

    Threading beads onto doubled pipe cleaners is precise bilateral work.

  • Pattern

    Choosing and repeating a bead sequence is early algebraic thinking.

  • Science

    Four wings, six legs, a long segmented abdomen — the craft mirrors real anatomy.

Words to use

Vocabulary

  • dragonfly
  • wings
  • antennae
  • abdomen
  • insect
  • habitat
Talk together

Conversation starters

  • How many wings does your dragonfly have?

  • Where would a real dragonfly like to live?

  • What pattern did you choose for the body?

Make it yours

Ways to change it up

Same setup, different challenge.

  1. Damselfly

    Use a longer, thinner body and narrower wings held closed.

  2. Butterfly

    Make the wing loops rounder and wider and skip the long tail.

Good to know

Questions parents ask

What age is this best for?
Three and up with help; five and up independently. Younger toddlers can bead while an adult twists.
Can we use something instead of pony beads?
Yes — cut drinking straws into short pieces work just as well and thread easily.
Keep playing

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