Safari Fuse Beads: 10+ Wild Animals to Bead With the Kids

Hi everyone, Léa here! Today I’m taking you on a safari… without even leaving the kitchen table. With a few handfuls of fuse beads and a pegboard, we’re off to meet the animals of the savanna: the round little elephant, the long-necked giraffe, the lion and his glorious mane. Grab your boards — let’s go!

One little reminder that makes all the difference: a pixel grid is already a bead grid. One square = one bead. Whether you start from a photo of a finished design or from a home-made grid, you just copy each square with the matching colour. Nothing could be simpler, and kids love ticking off the rows one by one.

The giants of the savanna

Let’s start with the heavyweights — perfect for beginners because their shapes read so clearly.

The gentle elephant

A soft grey, two big ears and a trunk: the elephant is the perfect first project. I’d make it nice and large — it looks great hanging on a bedroom door. Thanks to DIY Candy for the inspiration.

The long-necked giraffe

Yellow with brown patches: the giraffe is a joy to bead. Mum’s tip — let the kids scatter the spots a little at random, and every giraffe turns out one of a kind!

Stripes, manes and big cats

Zebra, tiger and hippo: the winning trio

These three make a lovely savanna line-up. The zebra’s and tiger’s stripes take a little focus, but what an effect! The hippo, on the other hand, comes together in no time. A big thank you to Perler for these cheerful designs.

The lion king

No safari would be complete without the king of the savanna! Since I didn’t have a ready-made pattern handy, I put together a little home-made grid for you: his orange mane in a ring, two eyes and a pale muzzle. Follow it square by square — child’s play.

The clever ones

The cheeky little monkey

With his big ears and pale muzzle, this little monkey always raises a smile. Perfect as a keychain to clip onto a school bag. Spotted over at Perler.

The colourful parrot

For a splash of colour, nothing beats a parrot! Here’s another home-made grid: red head and body, yellow wing, blue belly and a little green tail. The perfect excuse to dig into all your brightest colours.

Down by the watering hole

We finish with the creatures of the pond and the riverbank — plus two little reptiles the kids always love.

The crocodile

Long and low, the crocodile is ideal for playing with shades of green. Thanks again to DIY Candy for this toothy design!

The turtle

Its round little shell makes it a wonderfully soothing project. You can vary the shell pattern endlessly. Spotted at Perler.

The snake

To finish, one last home-made grid: a green snake winding along, with its little red tongue. Follow the curve square after square and it unspools right under your fingers.

Your turn!

That’s a whole savanna’s worth of beads! Feel free to build a big mural by lining several animals up side by side. And if your little explorers want more, head over to our dinosaur fuse bead selection or our nature selection. Happy crafting, everyone — see you very soon for another beaded safari — Léa.