How to Make a Human Skeleton From Pipe Cleaners

Pipe cleaners make great mediums for many craft projects for children and adults. They are easy to bend and shape. Making a skeleton out of pipe cleaners is an easy project for Halloween and for children learning about human anatomy. They can be hung as decorative Halloween accents around a home, office or classroom or as a basic learning tool for a health assignment.

Cut a pipe cleaner in half. Set aside one portion for later. Lay other half on work surface as the spine of the skeleton.

Cut about 1/3 of a pipe cleaner off and set aside. Bend in half and twist the 2/3 portion onto the bottom part of the spine and shape into legs and feet. Repeat cutting 1/3 off another pipe cleaner, bending in half and twisting the remainder at the top of the spine and shape into shoulders and arms. Leaving a small portion of pipe cleaner above the shoulders to attach the head. Shape the two 1/3 portions into fingers using a zig zag pattern and attach to the ends of the arms.

Shape one pipe cleaner to make the rib cage using a zig zag pattern. Attaching the rib cage piece below the arms and above the legs.

Shape the other half of a pipe cleaner, that was set aside from the spine, into a circle. Shaping it to look a bit like a skull thinner at the bottom for the jaw and larger at the top for the skull. Attach the head just above the shoulders with the small portion left when twisting on the arms to the spine. .

Tie a piece of yarn to the top of the head for hanging. Hang and enjoy your pipe cleaner skeleton.