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Friends Art Lab / Blog / Non-Toy Gift for Kids: DIY Bead and Bubble Kit

Non-Toy Gift for Kids: DIY Bead and Bubble Kit

By Kristian Klebofski   Published: May 23, 2023    Updated: May 23, 2023

Ditch the toy aisle and make an easy, flexibly-priced, darling non-toy gift for kids: DIY Bead and Bubble Kit! This adorable kit is kid-tested, kid-approved, and is a hit.

A clear, shallow container with four boxes of colorful beads for kids, a small blue bottle of bubble solution, colorful pipe cleaners, and a small white gift now. The bucket sits on a table with confetti on it.

You can’t go wrong with this non-toy gift for kids: DIY Bead and Bubble Kit

One of my favorite childhood memories was going to birthday parties where the bead lady came.

She’d bring boxes and boxes of beads, and you could make as many pieces of jewelry as you wanted to for a whole hour.

When I say I have never worked harder on anything in my life, I mean it! I. Was. Beside. Myself.

That experience and memory inspired the DIY beading kit and friends, it’s a fantastic gift.

Related: Our GIANT 10-foot coloring pages also make spectacular non-toy gifts for kids!

Kristian smiles at the camera and holds a plastic container with the non-toy gift for kids: DIY bead and bubble kit.

The non-toy gift for kids: DIY Bead and Bubble Kit is fun for all ages

This kit is a hit for little to big kids.

Why? Because kids of all ages love beads. Little kids can successfully make simple, easy jewelry pieces, and big kids can create more complicated, intricate pieces.

OH, AND BECAUSE OF THE BUBBLES. Bubbles are timeless, ageless, and send this kit over the top! I’ll show you why.

Related: Looking for more non-toy gift ideas for kids? Check these out:

  • 10 Non-Toy Gifts for Kids Under $30 – Friends Art Lab
  • Non-toy Gifts for Kids Who Love the Outdoors – Get the Kids Outside
  • Non-Toy Gifts for Kids: DIY Science Kit – Friends Art Lab
A clear, shallow container with four boxes of colorful beads for kids, a small blue bottle of bubble solution, colorful pipe cleaners, and colorful lacing cords. The bucket sits on a table with confetti on it.

Materials

Friends Art Lab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.

All the materials shown here, including the beads, lacing cord, bubbles, pipe cleaners, and the container come to under $30.

BUT, you can still make a delightful kit with a different budget. I’ll show you exactly what I included, and you’ll see how you can add more or fewer beads to adjust the price point.

For example, are you working with a $20 budget? Get two instead of four packs of beads!

Are you working with a $40 budget? Get six packs of beads!

Box of alphabet beads.

Alphabet Beads

Perfect for writing names of friends, family, pets, and more!

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Box of star pony beads.

Star Pony Beads

Kids will squeal with delight for these adorable star beads in an array of colors.

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Box of glitter pony beads.

Glitter Pony Beads

Everything is better with glitter! These sparkly beads are a delightful addition to your collection.

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Box of pony beads.

Pony Beads

Pony beads are always a classic and they’re perfect for big and little hands. These are classic yet versatile beads.

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5 pack of colorful jewelry lacing cords in red, yellow, green, blue, and purple.

Jewelry Lacing Cord

Kids can use lacing cord for projects big and small. We love that kids can create custom sized pieces of art.

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See Similar on Amazon
Pack of colorful pipe cleaners in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and pink.

Pipe Cleaners

Not only are pipe cleaners perfect for jewelry making, but they’re also fantastic for creating DIY bubble wands.

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Small, blue, plastic bottle of bubbles.

Bubbles

Together with the pipe cleaners, kids can create their own bubble factory for hours of fun.

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clear plastic bin.

Storage Bin

Instead of giving gifts in gift bags, we love giving them in reusable bins for easy storage for years to come.

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We have a free downloadable letter to gift with your kit so the lucky recipient knows exactly what to do!

the bead and bubble kit sits on a table inside of a clear plastic container. Leaning on the bucket is the free printable download letter explaining what to do with the kit.

How to assemble and give the kit

A simple trip to Target or a few clicks on Amazon gives you all you need for the gift.

We love a one-stop shop.

Add all of the supplies to the plastic bin, add in the FREE printable gift letter (below), and add a bow or tie with ribbon. Ta-da!

Pro tip: Because nothing in the kit spoils, you can make a few kits at a time, leave them in the closet, and grab one whenever you head to a party.

Kristian smiles at the camera, holding a yellow pipe cleaner twisted into a bubble wand with colorful star beads on the handle.

Wait, wait, wait – why are there BUBBLES in a beading kit?

I’m so glad you asked! I can see how this might seem random, but I assure you it’s anything but!

First of all, kids LOVE bubbles. Kids of all ages, even adults.

With the pipe cleaners and beads, kids can make DIY bubble wands, and they’ll LOVE it.

Kids can experiment with making bubble wands of all different sizes, and the beads add a fun decorative touch.

a blue bottle of bubble solution sits on a white table scattered with star beads. Next to them is a shallow white dish filled with bubble solution and a yellow DIY bubble wand.

How will the kid know what to do with the materials?

We’re big ol’ believers in kids getting kits for gifts, so we made a set of FREE downloadable printable letters that you can add to the gift.

For the beading kit, the letter walks kids through how to make bubble wands, invites them to create different types of jewelry, and provides a challenge to see if they can make patterns from their beads.

The letter does not specify what type of beads are in the kit, so you can choose the beads you want to include.

What can I give instead of toys at Christmas?

Kits just like this!

Have you also seen our DIY Science Kit? It’s outstanding.

These gifts are perfect for Christmas, but they’re equally wonderful for birthdays, celebrations, and just because.

A clear, shallow container with four boxes of colorful beads for kids, a small blue bottle of bubble solution, colorful pipe cleaners, and colorful lacing cords. The bucket sits on a table with confetti on it.

FAQ

What age is this recommended for?

Any that can safely enjoy the beads!

Where are all of the materials from shown in the photos?

Everything shown here is from Target, but you can just as easily get the supplies from other craft stores and Amazon.

Where do I get the letter?

You’re just a few scrolls away – just a little further down.

A picture of the beading and bubble kit with the free downloadable letter showing through the clear cover of the box. The box sits on a wooden table with colorful confetti around it.

Once you make this non-toy gift for kids: DIY bead and bubble kit, you’ll be hooked

We love gifts that are intentional, open-ended, and meaningful.

Equally, we love gifts that won’t get tossed in the closet, buried under a mountain of other toys, or forgotten about forever.

I can’t wait to see yours!

FREE Letters for Non-Toy DIY Kits

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    Kristian

    Hi, I’m Kristian!

    I love all things early childhood. Having earned a master's degree in education, I love sharing my passion and knowledge both as a classroom preschool teacher and college professor. Friends Art Lab is my heart and I'm excited to share with you! LEARN MORE

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