DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Perler Bead Keychains

Materials:

• Perler Beads with CIRCLE base:  
  • inexpensive, really neat beads you can pick up a lot of places (we got ours at Wallmart).
  • If you already have the square base and don't want to buy another, you can create different characters than we did
• Iron (may require adult assistance).
• String, elastic or wool
      
• a sharp pencil, a safety pin or a drill with a tiny bit (it gives daddy something to do *wink*).
• keyring circles

Instructions:

• Have the children carefully arrange the perler beads in their preferred shape -- we made all sorts of shapes.
• Follow the directions on the perler beads (basically, you arrange the beads on the form, cover with a waxy paper that comes with the beads and iron for a couple of seconds.).
• Remove the beads from the form and while still warm, poke through the top hole with a sharp pencil or safety pin (or let it cool and daddy can drill it with a small bit...  Because of course daddy likes to play too sometimes).
• Thread the string through and tie in a loop onto the keyring.
• Hang from your backpack -- and you're ready for back to school!

Perler Bead Ideas for a Circle Base:

Flower (Large) (we used these on our binders and on our bulletin board but you can also use them as necklaces):   You could also do this with white beads and call it a snowflake
Flower (Small) (we used these on our binders and on our bulletin board but you can also use them as necklaces):
Pokeball: (we used these for our Perler Keyrings)		center "small flower" of white surround with one row of black split whole thing with black fill one half with red and the other with white
Pot of Gold:  Make a circle with black beads (ours was the center with three more layers). Take a few of the beads off the top of the circle and replace them with yellow ("gold") Add a black bead on each side of the gold to make the edges of the pot. Add five rows of rainbow colors to the top to complete.
Rainbow: (we used these for our Perler Keyrings)		leave center "small flower" + one more round blank one row each of 5 or 6 rainbow colors
Smiley Face (pictured on Kaitlyn's Perler Necklace):		center "small flower" of yellow put black eyes and smile under and over center fill in with yellow
WWatermelon Piece  (pictured on Tasha's Perler Necklace):		two rows green, black scattered around, fill in with red
Watermelon Slice:  (thanks to Cathy for this one!)