Make Your Own Amazing Perler Bead Bowl

These bright and cheerful melted Perler bead bowls are so easy a three-year-old can make them! Actually, our three-year-old DID make these. Tomorrow our six and eight-year-olds want to make some too because they felt like they missed out on ALL the fun!

These bowls are surprisingly durable and make awesome Christmas, birthday, or Mother’s Day presents and teacher appreciation gifts. In short: the perfect handmade gift! We use these bowls throughout the house, one is the home of my car keys when I walk in the door. Another is where I put my jewelry at the end of the day. My husband leaves loose change in one, so ours are put to good use.

(This post was originally published in May 2015. It was updated and republished in November 2020.) 

 

I like to keep things simple when I do crafts, and this Perler bead bowl is no exception. Actually, it’s the poster child for easy and quick!

Perler Bead Bowl Supplies:

• Oven-safe bowl. The bottom of the bowl must be the perfect mix between not too flat and not too round.
• Olive oil or cooking spray. I used olive oil.
• Oven. Do NOT use the microwave oven.
• Perler Beads. 
  • I prefer the brand “Perler” to “Hama” beads. I find that the Perler beads melt into a smoother and shinier finish. 
  • I loved the way our Biggie beads bowl turned out and it is incredibly sturdy.
  • The regular size Perler beads are easy and fun too and there is a bigger color selection.

If your kids love getting crafty with Perler beads, don’t miss these other posts full of inspiration:

• Toddler-Approved Perler Bead Ornaments,
• 500 Minecraft & Pokemon Perler Bead Instructions
• The Best 17 Perler Bead Ideas for Creative Kids

How-to Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Wipe olive oil (or cooking spray) along the inside of the bowl.
• Place beads in the bowl.
  • Be sure to cover the bottom and then go up along the sides as far as you wish.
  • I love the look of a very shallow bowl, but you can easily make it a deeper bowl by adding more beads.
  • When we used the Biggie beads (the larger size) I made sure they all stood up. But with the regular Perler beads, I just let them lay however they fell, which is also a cool look.
• Spread the beads out so they are in a single layer, not on top of each other, but close enough that there aren’t any big holes. The beads should be touching each other as much as possible.
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 10-15 minutes. The regular size beads melt quicker than the larger ones – no surprise there.
• Watch the beads closely. The bowl is done once all the beads in the bowl have started to melt and attach to each other.
• Remove from the oven. Let it cool for a few minutes and then place the entire bowl into a larger bowl full of water.
• Gently pop the bead bowl out. It should come out with light prying and poking.
• Allow the bowl to cool completely.
• Wash the finished bowl in warm water and soap to remove the oil.
• Voila! You are done!

I love that the kids so easily can create something useful for around the house. Jansen (3) is THRILLED when he sees that we are using the bowls he designed and made.

Where would you use a colorful melted bead bowl?