Spend the summer making Beaded Lizard Keychains that magically change color in the sunlight!
Looking for a creative summer activity? These beaded lizards are a fun and simple project that only takes about 5 minutes - and they change color in the sun! This is a great activity to do during summer camps or rainy afternoons that will keep kids of all ages busy. Once you get the hang of making your own colorful beaded lizard keychains, you can share your creations as gifts or even start your own little business and sell them to everyone you know!
To make your own Color-Changing Beaded Lizard Keychains, you will need these supplies:
Before getting started on your project, you'll need to sort your beads by color. This can be a bit difficult with the UV color-changing pony beads since they all look exactly the same when not in the sun/UV light. So, I would recommend giving the package of beads to the kids along with 6 small cups and letting them sort the beads by color while getting a little sun. Make sure to label the cups before bringing them back inside!
For each lizard keychain, you will need:
- 2 yards string
- 2 black pony beads
- 2 colors UV color-changing pony beads
Main (purple on pattern): 27 beads
Accent (pink on pattern): 22 beads - 1 keyring
To begin, add one bead to the string, and move it to the center. For the next row, place two more beads below the first, and then bring each end of the cord through the pair of beads and out the opposite sides. You can pull the string tight, but just keep in mind that it will easily loosen at this point*.
*My daughter struggled with this issue, so I'm adding it here for others who may feel similar.
The next row will be added the same way as the previous one, but this time add two black beads with the colored one in the center. Bring the ends of the string through the row of beads and out the opposite side.
On the next row, add two colored beads, and bring the string ends through to the opposite sides and pull it tight.
This next step is when we add the arms to the little lizard! Lay the ends of the string out, and add two main colored beads (purple) and then three accent beads (pink) to each side.
Now, to create the lizard's little hands, you need to bring the end of the string back down through the two arm (main color) beads, and then pull the string tighter so that the fingers create a triangle-like shape.
Next, add three beads for the next row: two main color beads with one accent in the middle. Bring both ends of the string through the set of beads and out the opposite end. At this point, the lizard will cooperate a lot more and come together when you pull the strings of each row tight.
*Learn from my mistake: I started this lizard with elastic cord, and it just was NOT working. At this point, I remade the lizard using string and it was SO much better!
Once the lizard belly is completed, add two back legs. You will string these exactly the same way as the front legs.
Trim the ends of the string near the knot. If you are worried about the string fraying, you can add a small drop of clear nail polish over the ends. Now the beaded lizard is complete and ready to be turned into a keychain!
Use something like a staple remover or even a craft stick to open a gap in the keyring, and then slide it through the bead and twist it around until it's all the way through. Another option is to attach a jump ring through the bead first, and then hook that onto the keyring.
One more little cool surprise is that these particular UV color-changing pony beads also glow in the dark! So not only are the beaded lizard keychains a whole lot of fun while in the sun, but they are pretty cool in the dark, too!!
Add one more row of 2 beads in the main color. Then, you can create the tail! You can make it as long or as short as you'd like, but I made mine using 7 beads: 3 main color, and 4 accent.
Once you get to the end of the tail, make sure the string has been tightened evenly all the way through the lizard. Tie the string into a tight knot against the last bead, and then tie another knot to keep it secure.
Now the beaded lizard keychains are complete and are ready to be added to your keys, backpacks, purses, and so much more! While they are inside, the keychains are a ghostly white color. But when you take them out into the sun - BAM! They are so vibrant and colorful!
These Color-Changing Beaded Lizard Keychains are such a fun, colorful, and easy craft for kids of all ages to make at home, summer camp, and even in the classroom. As always, I love to see your version of these projects! Please share your creations on Instagram, Facebook, or leave a comment/photo on the project pin on Pinterest #AFMCrafts
Looking for more camp craft inspiration?
Check out this collection of OVER 100 creative camp craft ideas!!
Don't forget to Pin, Like, and Share!
