How to Bead a Cross (Fun Christian Craft!)

These beaded crosses are a great craft for kids! This classic Christian craft is fun anytime- Vacation bible school (VBS), CCD, Sunday school, or at home. I have a little trick that makes these especially easy for kids to make. (I recommend this craft for 6-year-olds and older.) You can find all of my cross crafts for kids here, but today I’m going to show you step-by-step how to bead a cross with kids! 

How to Bead a Cross

 

Looking for another cross-craft for kids? Check out my printable happy crosses! Such a fun and easy craft for kids of all ages- print, color, cut, and staple for easy standing! 

Adorable Cross Craft

Supplies Needed:

  • Pony Beads
  • String (we used plastic string)
  • Mini Glue Dots (You want to use the small 5mm ones. This is the secret trick- these make this craft super easy!!!)

Start by laying out 6 beads and deciding what colors you want to use, and cut yourself a piece of string. If you want to make a necklace, you’ll need a long string. If you just want to make a key chain or a zipper pull, you can use a much shorter piece of string.

Pony beads and string

Before you start stringing, you’ll need to attach 3 beads together for the cross part. This is where those glue dots come in handy! You can use regular glue to attach the beads, but I would suggest doing it ahead of time so it’s already dry before you begin. However, if you use glue dots, the kids can do this all by themselves, and the beads attach instantly! Here’s how the 3 beads need to be glued together:

Glued Together Beads

Are you familiar with glue dots? If not, they’re a supply that needs to be added to your cabinet. They’re kind of like gooey stickers that instantly stick things together. They come on a roll and you can get them at any craft store.

Glue Dots Roll

You can peel the glue dots off like a sticker and place it on the bead, but I’ll clue you in on a trick. The easy way to use the glue dots is to stick the bead directly on the roll like this:

Glue Dots Stuck on Bead

When you pull the bead off, the glue dot will be stuck to the bead. Can you see it there?

Glue Dot Stuck on Bead

Place one bead on each side of your middle bead and give it a firm push to attach it. No drying time is needed. 🙂 You can tear the strip of glue dots to give each child a piece with just 2 glue dots on it. This is easier for them to handle than the whole roll.

Beads glued together with glue dots

Attach another bead to the other side. Now you’re ready to bead your cross! Start with the bottom bead and slide it to the middle of the string.

How to bead a cross craft

Take your second bead, and lace both sides of your string through it.

Putting String Through Bead

Push your second bead all the way down to the first one you strung on. Now string on your 3 beads that are stuck together. One side of the string goes through one bead, and the other side of your string through the other bead.

Post continues after this brief information about the Catholic Icing Monthly Membership


Monthly Liturgical Membership

Catholic Liturgical Monthly Membership

Perfect for families! Each month you gain access to printable activity pages, crafts, home altar pieces, and more.
 
Never has living the liturgical year been so easy and affordable!
 

How to Bead a Cross

Take your top bead and lace both ends of the string through it. There’s your cross!

How to Bead a Cross

Tie a knot at the top of the beads to hold the cross in place. To tie the knot, wrap both sides of your string around your fingers and put both ends through. Pull tight.

Tie a Knot Beaded Cross

Ta da!!!

Finished Beaded Cross

Lydia wanted to string more beads on hers and make it into a necklace. She’s so pleased with her results!

Finished Beaded Cross Craft

Beaded Cross Necklace Craft

If you don’t want a necklace, use them as a zipper pull, make it into a key chain, or just tie it up as a decoration somewhere.

Finished Beaded Crosses

I had several people ask me at the IHM Conference… how do I craft with so many little kids at once? Well, whenever I’m crafting, all my kids do the craft to the best of their ability. Lydia is 6, and she beaded several crosses all by herself, but my other kids were too young. I just let them string regular necklaces while we worked on our crosses. Violet, who is only 2, strung a necklace onto pipe cleaners. She totally thought she was a part of what was going on. 😉

Beading Pipecleaner

Pipe cleaners are easy for toddlers to string on because they’re stiff, and pony beads fit perfectly. You can make a bracelet out of 1 pipe cleaner, or twist 2 of them together and make a necklace. Violet loves to make her own jewelry!

Beading Pipecleaner

Bead stringing is a great fine motor skill for preschoolers to work on, so crafting is a win-win. 😉

You can find all of my cross-crafts for kids here. Tons of ideas for all ages!

Cross Crafts For Kids

This was a really fun cross-craft- hope you try it out. Happy Catholic crafting!

Summer With The Sacred Heart VBS
 
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

Comments

  1. Thank you for the information about using glue dots for the center bead. My son teaches Kids Church and they have made beaded crosses–the glue dot would have made it so much easier. May you be blessed.

  2. Kathy Faberge says

    Thank you for posting this craft! A very nice and easy idea. Do you know what size glue dot works best?

    Kathy

  3. Thanks for sharing this craft. The Sunday school kids enjoyed doing it. Have a nice day!!

  4. Shelley in S.C. says

    Found you thru Google, and I’m using this beaded cross necklace and your glitter fish mobile with the 4-yr-olds at church tonight. They will love it! And I can’t believe I have all the supplies on hand! Thanks so much for these wonderful posts!

  5. I love the idea of using the glue dots!! All these years of making these crosses and that never even crossed my mind!! THANK YOU!! That will now allow me to let the kids make these adorable beaded crosses again!!

  6. Jessica R Schumacher says

    Thank you so much for posting these wonderful ideas for such inspiring crafts. The element of surprise captures my students attention and they already know that they will be making something crafty and related to our lesson. I can’t thank you enough for sharing these awesome ideas! You are super blessed with awesome talents!:)

  7. Maddy Hunter says

    I am am making these with my lil brothers (5+7) in the run up to Easter. Keep posting the Christian crafts!

  8. My church is running a booth at a community event this summer. My priest asked me to run a craft for the event – something easy, cheap, and fun. We’re making these crosses! Thanks for posting a way to make them easier for all of us. Would you mind if I used your photos on a poster board to help the process?

  9. Donna Lynn Banaszak says

    Does anyone know the meaning for each of the beads.

  10. Love it the bead cross going to make it with my grandson would Like to know where can I get the plastic string don’t think were I live in Puerto Rico the sell them and also the clue dot can I use craft clue clear and make a.dot and stick it my name is Maritza Camacho

    • If you don’t have glue dots, you could use hot glue, but obviously young children shouldn’t. I think you could use “tacky glue” and then wait for it to dry. I like the glue dots because there is no drying time.

  11. Miss Millie says

    Perfect for my little class. I have two special needs children and this is definitely something they can do for a fun craft. We are also going to make resurrection rolls using crescent rolls and marshmallows on the same day.
    Many thanks…Millie

  12. I was wondering how I could make something easy and fast for my grand kids. This is it. And it looks pretty too.

  13. How do you attach the ring to make it a keychain?

  14. Reyna rausch says

    How long should the string be?