28 of the Coolest DIY 3D Perler Bead Patterns - Cool Kids Crafts (2024)

There are countless Perler bead designs to choose from, but I believe that 3D Perler bead patterns are hands-down the coolest!

Making 3D Perler beads is similar to assembling and constructing LEGO pieces, bringing to life what your little ones envision in their imaginative brains.

The process of building Perler beads may take time, especially 3D ones, but the experience gained from these activities is invaluable for their mental and motor development.

3D Perler beads can be challenging for toddlers, so here’s a list of easy Perler bead patterns for those who are just beginning their Perler bead journey.

4 Awesome 3D Perler Bead Kits

I’ll be providing a list of Perler bead kits that will get anyone started on their 3D Perler bead adventure.

This compilation of 3D paper flowers might also pique your interest.

1.3D Fuse Bead Set

28 of the Coolest DIY 3D Perler Bead Patterns - Cool Kids Crafts (1)

Stock up on fuse beads by getting a fuse bead set that contains assorted beads of 48 different colors, pegboards with different shapes, and 3D patterns.

This is a great choice for beginners who don’t have the proper materials yet as this will provide them with everything they need.

2. 3D Ocean & Mermaid Perler Beads

28 of the Coolest DIY 3D Perler Bead Patterns - Cool Kids Crafts (2)

Bring the ocean to your home by getting this 3D ocean and mermaid Perler bead kit. It contains beads, pegboards, and unique ocean-themed patterns like sunken treasures, seashells, and coral reefs.

The ocean is vast, but there are plenty of ocean crafts, mermaid drawings, and Moana crafts to bring it closer to home.

3. Harry Potter 3D Perler Bead Kit

28 of the Coolest DIY 3D Perler Bead Patterns - Cool Kids Crafts (3)

Take a magical journey to Hogwarts and the rest of the Wizarding World through this Harry Potter Perler beads kit, which contains fuse beads, a large square pegboard, ironing paper, and an instruction sheet to create your kids’ favorite characters.

4. Craft Adhesive

28 of the Coolest DIY 3D Perler Bead Patterns - Cool Kids Crafts (4)

3D Perler beads requires more than just assembling and ironing. Some of the 3D patterns you’ll encounter below may also need to be glued together with a strong adhesive like this one.

9 Simple 3D Perler Bead Patterns

These first nine 3D Perler patterns are on the simpler side of the difficulty spectrum. These range from 3D animal designs to simple Perler bead food ideas.

5. 3D Perler Bead Dog Design

It’s super easy to make a dog with Perler beads. This simple 3d pattern promotes your kids’ development, such as their fine motor skills, problem-solving, and so much more.

6. How to Make a Cute 3D Perler Bead Fox

Get to know more woodland creatures by completing this 3D fox Perler bead design by Lacey’s Crafts. Each part of the fox’s body is so easy to do!

7. 3D Sea Turtle Perler Bead Tutorial

Enlist a marine companion for your little one’s bath time by creating this adorable 3D sea turtle on Wii its Mii’s Youtube channel.

While this 3D sea turtle is already quite impressive, here are some more turtle Perler beads.

8. 3D Giraffe Perler Bead Pattern

https://youtu.be/DVLs7oQTobY

Here’s a fun video tutorial by SabrinasCraftingClub of a 3D giraffe Perler bead pattern. It’s not too difficult for toddlers since it involves only two colors. Plus the tutorial will guide you and them every step of the way.

It’s important to develop many of their skills early on, so here are easy animals to draw for kids!

9. How to Make 3D Perler Bead Cacti & Succulents

Cacti and succulents have a bad reputation for being spiky and dangerous. But Karen Kavett DIY’s video tutorial shows us that the Perler bead version of these plants is harmless and makes for a very good decor on your children’s desk.

Follow their guide to know how to create this cute cactus.

10. 3D Perler Bead Ice Cream with Magnet

Hot summer days call for eating refreshing beverages and making ice cream crafts like this 3D popsicle Perler beads, which will make kids scream for ice cream!

Crafting MIX’s video tutorial shows us how to make the basic popsicle and how to attach a magnet to make it a DIY fridge magnet. Encourage the kids to choose their own ice cream flavor.

11. Six-Pointed Star Perler Bead Pattern

28 of the Coolest DIY 3D Perler Bead Patterns - Cool Kids Crafts (5)

Make your little ones shine like the stars with this six-pointed star featured by Fuse Bead Store. Not only do they show the pattern of the star, but they also provide the bead count for this twinkling star.

12. Heart Chest Box Pattern

28 of the Coolest DIY 3D Perler Bead Patterns - Cool Kids Crafts (6)

Panda Hall provides us with an easy Valentine’s day pattern in the form of this heart chest.

Share the love with the kids by making one of these kids’ Valentine’s box ideas and Valentine’s crafts for toddlers.

9 Advanced 3D Perler Bead Designs for Older Kids

13. DIY 3D Perler Bead Geometric Planters

Take your DIY pottery to the next level by following QDCrafts guide on 3D Perler bead geometric planters. They don’t solely serve as houses for plants, they can be used as pencil holders, too.

The best thing about this is that your children can be as creative as they want with the colors, enhancing their color recognition and creative skills.

14. 3D Perler Bead Zelda Treasure Chest

Fans of the Legend of Zelda series can now create the treasure chest typically seen in the franchise. SpeedBead provides a video tutorial on how to create this container, in which little ones can store their valuable loot in their adventures.

15. 3D Pirate Ship and Treasure Chest Pattern

28 of the Coolest DIY 3D Perler Bead Patterns - Cool Kids Crafts (7)

Not everyone has a fascination with sailing the high seas and pretending to be a pirate, but for those who do, the Perler website has an instruction sheet with the bead count and pattern for a pirate ship and treasure chest waiting to be filled with pillaged goods.

16. DIY Battle Ship 3D Perler Beads

For a modern version of a ship, Lightning Rocket Creates has an interesting video tutorial. The guide is easy to follow, proceeding from making the components of the ship to assembling it all together.

17. 3D X-Wing Perler Beads

Enforce the law and maintain order throughout the galaxy with this 3D X-Wing created by Beyond The Bead. I highly recommend watching the entire video tutorial which contains timestamps to let the viewer easily jump from one step to another.

18. How to Make a 3D Perler Bead Leprechaun Trap

Try your luck at catching a leprechaun with this 3D Perler bead trap, who, according to Irish legends, supposedly grants three wishes to anyone who catches him.

19. 3D Gingerbread House

28 of the Coolest DIY 3D Perler Bead Patterns - Cool Kids Crafts (8)

Anyone who has always dreamed of a house made of sweets will finally be able to make the Gingerbread House. Although it’s not as sweet nor edible as the real thing, kids will still have tons of fun making and playing pretend with this Perler pattern.

20. 3D Olaf Perler Beads

Do you wanna build a snowman? Wolleplanet has you covered with their 3D Olaf Perler beads pattern. Prepare plenty of white beads for this one because you’re gonna need them!

Snowmen are perfect for the winter, but the weather might not always be favorable, so here are some snowman crafts for kids and snowman handprint ornaments to make indoors.

21. 3D Mickey & Minnie Mouse Perler Design

Mickey Mouse is the face of Disney, so it would be surprising if kids didn’t know who these characters are. Here is KandiPerlerFairy’s version of a 3D Mickey and Minnie Perler bead figures.

For more Mickey stuff, check out our list of Mickey Mouse crafts, Mickey Mouse Perler beads, and DIY Mickey Ears!

4 Minecraft 3D Perler Beads

Minecraft graphics are pixelated, so making 3D creations with Perler beads should be an easy task.

When you’re done with the ones below, make sure to make more by following our compilation of Minecraft Perler bead patterns.

22. Minecraft Steve 3D Perler Beads

Create a 3D version of Steve, the main character from Minecraft.

The incredible part of this 3D project by Joy of Art is that Steve’s head and arms are movable, allowing your little ones to mine things and be wary of a zombie attack.

23. 3D Piggy Bank Made of Perler Beads

GiovyHobby’s video tutorial takes an innovative approach and creates piggy banks out of Minecraft blocks. This inspiring DIY project allows kids to choose their favorite block and use it to save money for Minecraft accessories!

24. 3D Perler Bead Minecraft Parrot Figure

While not part of the original animals that first appeared in Minecraft, the parrot is undoubtedly one of the cutest that has been created. Let your kids tame their own parrot in real life by making this 3D DIY Minecraft parrot by QDCrafts.

25. How to Make a 3D Perler Bead Minecraft Ocelot

Brought to you by Lightning Rocket Creates, this 3D ocelot pattern is perfect for all the cat lovers out there.

Cat lovers, I’ve got more cat Perler beads and cat crafts for kidsfor you to make!

3 Pokemon 3D Perler Bead Patterns

Finally, to catch ’em all, you’ll need to make one of these 3D Pokemon Perler beads.

It takes an insane amount of beads to create 3D Pokemon, so here are some regular Pokemon Perler beads patternsas well.

26. Small 3D Pokemon Perler Beads

28 of the Coolest DIY 3D Perler Bead Patterns - Cool Kids Crafts (9)

These starter Pokemons made by Pink Stripey Socks are the best for novice Pokemon trainers as well as Perler bead beginners.

They’re small and easy to craft when you follow the guide detailed on their webpage.

27. Openable 3D Pokeball Perler Beads

How can you catch them all without a Poke Ball? Follow this blueprint made by QDCrafts and you can have as many Poke Balls and Pokemon you want!

28. 3D Pikachu Perler Beads Tutorial

Follow this video tutorial made by FiloPixie to have your own copy of Pikachu.

More Dimensions Equals More Fun

Perler bead projects in 3D might sound complicated at first but their completion pays off for your kids with the excitement and skills they learn throughout the entire process.

To develop their skills further, I suggest these easy drawings in their free time:

  • Easy Animals to Draw
  • How to Draw a Chicken
  • How to Draw a Hummingbird
  • Octopus Drawings
  • How to Draw the Planets
28 of the Coolest DIY 3D Perler Bead Patterns - Cool Kids Crafts (2024)

FAQs

What is the world's largest Perler bead art? ›

Worlds biggest picture made of plastic beads - The students at Fryshuset High School (Stockholm) has built the largest perler bead painting in the world. About 80 students beaded for 4,5 hours to finish 170 plates= 153000 beads. The painting is 2,50x 3,40 m large and was finishied in november 2008.

Can you sell Perler bead creations? ›

Yes, I can sell Perler bead designs! I think they are a lot of fun to make and people enjoy buying them. I have had success in the past selling my designs and I think I could continue to do so in the future. Do you have any Perler bead patterns?

How do you melt large Perler bead projects? ›

Place ironing paper over the section of the design you will fuse. In a circular motion, begin to iron the project. Beads need heat for about 10-20 seconds per side to fuse evenly, but it's possible additional heating time may be required.

How big are mini Perler beads? ›

Mini Beads

They are 2mm in length, with a 2mm diameter and 1mm inside diameter – about the same size as a grain of rice. Mini Beads are designed for ages 10+, but are sometimes even too fiddly for adults. As a result of their tiny size, Mini Beads produce the most detailed designs.

What year did Perler beads come out? ›

Peter Schneck and Dee Dee Schneck founded the Perler brand of fuse bead in 1981 in California, and the beads gained popularity during the 1980s. During the 2000s and onwards, fuse beads gained new popularity through online communities focused on using them to recreate pixel art sprites from video games.

Can a 3 year old do Perler beads? ›

A Melty Beads book is what started my daughter off with her fused bead crafting at the age of 3. The recommended age is 4+ but I thought it was a good activity to help to improve her hand-eye coordination as well as getting her to grips with colors, patterns and counting too.

Who owns Perler beads? ›

Perler beads were first introduced in 1981 in Cloverdale, CA. The brand is owned by Simplicity Creative Corp., a CSS Industries, Inc. (NYSE:CSS) company. Perler products, ranging from beads to pegboards, activity kits, tools and more, are sold online (www.perler.com) and in stores nationwide.

Can you use something other than an iron for Perler beads? ›

Instead of soldering the beads together, melt them in the oven to make pretty round beads. To do this, take a perforated dish, like a pizza pan forexample. Put a sheet of baking paper (or ironing paper) and place your beads on top (hole up), spacing them out. Then put it in a hot oven.

How do you make a Perler bead bowl? ›

Grease the oven-proof bowl and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Have your child empty the beads into the bowl. Help your child push them down to the bottom, spreading them out until there is a single layer reaching up the sides. Place the bowl in the oven for about 15 minutes.

How do you microwave Perler beads? ›

put oil in the bowl 2. stick the perler beads 3. put it in the microwave for 10-12 min 4.

Will perler beads melt in the car? ›

Should it get hot enough, yes, these can/will melt in a hot car. (I'm in southern Cali) Try not to leave them in the car on a hot day.

How do you finish perler beads without an iron? ›

Use a pot of hot water

You can place a wax sheet over your design and place the pot of water on top. Give it 30 seconds or so, and voila, your beads are fused. Here's a video demonstrating the technique. Note: Take a look at these accessories for Perler beads.

Can you use a heat gun on perler beads? ›

What can I use to put perler beads together besides iron paper? You have a few options. If you're skilled enough you can use a heat gun. This way you don't have to use an iron or paper.

What is the world record for the biggest art? ›

The largest painting in the world entered the Guinness World Records this week when Qatar's university football field was draped with an enormous art canvas. 9,652 square metres of the football field was covered by the painting called “The story of the ball,” by Iranian artist Emad Salehi.

What is the largest bead show in the US? ›

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show®, founded in Tucson in 1955, is said to be the largest, oldest and most prestigious gem and mineral show in the world.

How many beads fit on a Perler board? ›

It holds more than 3,300 beads, and you can lay it right over any pattern—big or small—for easy bead placement.

What size Perler beads are best? ›

The most common bead size is 5mm in diameter, suitable for both adults and children. For very young children around three years old, there're large beads for sale with a 10mm diameter called Biggie Beads (Perler), Maxi Beads (Hama), or Jumbo Beads (Nabbi).

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Terence Hammes MD

Last Updated:

Views: 6214

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (69 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Terence Hammes MD

Birthday: 1992-04-11

Address: Suite 408 9446 Mercy Mews, West Roxie, CT 04904

Phone: +50312511349175

Job: Product Consulting Liaison

Hobby: Jogging, Motor sports, Nordic skating, Jigsaw puzzles, Bird watching, Nordic skating, Sculpting

Introduction: My name is Terence Hammes MD, I am a inexpensive, energetic, jolly, faithful, cheerful, proud, rich person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.