You know that moment when you’re trying to wrestle a tent pole and your kid asks “what now” for the tenth time? I’ve been there.
Instead of handing over your phone, why not put them to work making backpack zipper pull charms? These little crafts keep little hands busy and give their backpack some serious personality.
Best part? They all attach right to a zipper pull. No lost crafts, no clutter, just cute dangly fun for the next hike.
1. Beaded Nature Loop
Grab a 6-inch piece of elastic cord. Let your kid thread wooden beads, tiny pinecones with pre-drilled holes, and colorful plastic beads onto it.
Tie the ends together with a double knot. Make sure it’s snug but not tight enough to crush the beads.
Slide the loop over the zipper pull tab. That’s it — one charm done in under two minutes.
For extra flair, add a single metal letter bead spelling their initial. Now their backpack says “this one’s mine” without a single argument.
2. Pipe Cleaner Critter
Bend a brown pipe cleaner into a simple squirrel shape. Twist the ends together to form a loop at the top.
That loop clips right onto the zipper pull. No glue, no drying time, no mess.
3. Paracord Snake Knot
Cut 12 inches of thin paracord. Tie a snake knot (or just a bunch of overhand knots in a row) leaving a small loop at one end.
Burn the cut ends with a lighter so they don’t fray — do this part yourself, obviously. The knot stack looks like a tiny snake wrapped around the zipper.
Kids love sliding the knots up and down. Plus, in a real emergency, you’ve got a few inches of cord. Not that you’ll need it, but hey.
Make two and tie them together for a double snake. That’s double the fun and double the “mom look at this.”
4. Button Stack Charms
Raid your button jar for four or five mismatched buttons. Thread them onto a short piece of wire or a small key ring.
Twist the wire ends together into a loop. If using a key ring, just slide the buttons on and close the ring.
Attach the loop to the zipper pull. The buttons clink together when they walk — my kids find that endlessly entertaining.
For a quieter version, use felt buttons or glue a tiny bell between two buttons. Now it jingles instead of clacks.
Try to find buttons with fun shapes like stars or animals. Thrift stores are gold mines for this.
5. Felt Campfire
Cut two small teardrop shapes from red felt for flames, and three tiny logs from brown felt. Layer them: logs on bottom, flames on top.
Poke a hole through all layers with a needle, then thread a small split key ring through the hole. The felt stays put without glue if you make the hole tight.
Attach the ring to the zipper pull. This charm weighs nothing, so it won’t drag the zipper down.
6. Feather Friendship Tie
Find a small craft feather or a real feather you’ve sanitized. Tie a leather cord around its quill end, leaving a 1-inch loop.
Knot it twice, then trim the extra cord. Slide the loop over the zipper pull.
That’s one charm.
7. Pony Bead Lizard
You remember these from summer camp, right? String pony beads onto a pipe cleaner to make a tiny lizard shape. The classic pattern: one bead for head, four for body, then split for legs.
Leave the tail end loose and bend it into a hook. That hook grabs the zipper pull perfectly.
My son made seven of these last camping trip. Seven. His backpack looks like a bead explosion now.
Use glow-in-the-dark beads for night hikes. Then you can find their backpack in the dark without a headlamp.
8. Bottle Cap Mini Scene
Take a clean plastic bottle cap. Glue a small mushroom sticker or a tiny animal figurine inside.
Drill a small hole near the rim (you do this part). Thread a jump ring through the hole.
Attach the jump ring to the zipper pull. It’s like a tiny diorama hanging from their bag.
9. Twig And String Triangle
Find a Y-shaped twig about two inches long. Tie a piece of kitchen twine to each end, then tie the other ends together to form a triangle.
Wrap the extra twine around the top intersection to make a loop. Hang the triangle from the zipper pull.
It looks like a mini dream catcher made from stuff you found on the ground. Zero cost, maximum pride.
10. Shrinky Dink Trail Sign
Draw a tiny trail marker (like an arrow or a pine tree) on shrink plastic. Color it with permanent marker, then bake it according to package directions.
Once it shrinks and hardens, punch a hole near the top before baking. After cooling, thread a small key ring through the hole.
Clip it to the zipper pull. Now their backpack has a custom sign that says “this way to snacks.”
11. Acorn Cap Rattle
Find an acorn with the cap still attached. Pop the nut out (save the cap). Put a tiny pebble inside the cap, then glue the nut back on — wait, no nut, just the cap?
Actually, use two caps glued together with a pebble inside. Drill a tiny hole in the top cap. Thread a loop of elastic cord through the hole.
Attach to zipper. It rattles softly when they run. My daughter calls it her “secret shaker.”
12. Leather Scrap Arrow
Cut a small arrow shape from an old leather scrap. Punch a hole at the feather end.
Thread a leather lace through the hole and tie a loop. That loop goes over the zipper pull.
It takes thirty seconds and looks like something a cowboy would hang on his saddle.
13. Mini Compass On A Ring
Buy a pack of tiny button compasses from a craft store. Glue a small split ring to the back using strong epoxy.
Let it dry overnight. Then just clip the ring onto the zipper pull.
Does it actually work as a compass? Sort of. But it makes your kid feel like a real explorer, and that’s what matters.
Make sure the compass is lightweight. A heavy one will sag the zipper and drive you crazy.
14. Foam Star Stack
Cut three small stars from craft foam in different colors. Stack them and poke a brad fastener through the center.
Spread the brad’s legs on the back. Then bend one leg into a hook.
Hook it over the zipper pull. The stars can spin separately, which is oddly satisfying.
15. Painted Rock Pendant
Find a smooth, flat pebble about the size of a quarter. Paint a simple face or a lightning bolt on it with acrylic paint pens.
Once dry, glue a metal loop to the back using E6000 glue. Let it cure for an hour.
Thread a short cord through the loop and tie it into a circle. Slide onto the zipper pull.
It’s heavier than felt, so put it on a main compartment zipper, not a tiny pocket one.
16. Button And String Spinner
Thread a large four-hole button onto a 4-inch piece of string. Bring both ends of the string through one hole, then tie them together into a loop.
Pull the loop tight so the button sits in the middle. Twist the button like a spinning toy, then pull — it spins and buzzes.
Attach the loop to the zipper pull. Now they have a fidget toy that hangs from their bag.
17. Tiny Pinecone On A Hook
Find a miniature pinecone (the kind that’s still closed and less than an inch long). Wrap a paperclip around its base, leaving a loop sticking up.
Bend the paperclip so it holds tight. That loop hooks right onto the zipper pull.
It smells like the forest for about a week. Then it just looks cute.
18. Beaded Initial Pendant
Spell out their first initial using letter beads on a short piece of elastic cord. Tie the ends together.
Slide the whole loop over the zipper pull. No extra hardware needed.
Add a star bead next to the letter for style points. My nephew did this and now all his friends want one.
19. Duct Tape Mini Flag
Cut a 1-inch by 2-inch strip of duct tape. Fold it in half sticky sides together, but leave a half-inch unfolded at one end.
Fold that unfolded part into a small loop. The loop becomes the attachment point.
Trim the flag into a triangle shape. Write “Camp” on it with a permanent marker.
Hook the loop over the zipper pull. It’s waterproof and nearly indestructible.
20. Tiny Bell On A Ring
Buy a pack of mini jingle bells from the craft aisle. Thread a small split ring through the hole on top of one bell.
Close the ring tightly. Clip it onto the zipper pull.
Every time they unzip their backpack, you hear a little jingle. It’s adorable for about an hour, then you’ll want to remove it. Your call.
21. Lanyard Hook Snap
Take a plastic lanyard hook (the kind with a spring-loaded clip). Tie a 2-inch piece of paracord to the base of the hook.
Tie the other end of the paracord into a loop. Snap the hook onto the zipper pull, then thread the loop through the hook’s eye.
Wait, that’s backwards. Actually, just snap the hook directly onto the zipper pull. The paracord loop is for hanging something else. Keep it simple.
22. Craft Stick Mini Sign
Cut a small rectangle from a popsicle stick. Write “Home” or “Adventure” on it with a fine-tip marker.
Drill a tiny hole near one end. Thread a jump ring through the hole.
Attach the jump ring to the zipper pull. It’s like a tiny license plate for their backpack.
Sand the edges first so no splinters attack little fingers.
23. Glow Stick Tube Pendant
Use a clear plastic tube from a broken glow stick (rinsed out, obviously). Put a few glow-in-the-dark stars inside.
Cap the ends with hot glue, leaving a glue loop at the top. Once the glue hardens, the loop attaches to the zipper pull.
Charge it under a light before night hikes. Then it glows for hours. No batteries, no crying.
24. Shell And Bead Dangle
Drill a tiny hole in a small seashell (wear safety glasses). Thread a piece of fishing line through the hole, then add a few blue beads.
Tie the fishing line into a loop at the top. Trim the excess.
Loop it over the zipper pull. It reminds them of that beach trip even when you’re in the mountains.
25. Paper Clip Chain
Link together five or six colored paper clips to form a short chain. Attach one end of the chain to the zipper pull by bending the last clip around it.
Bend the other end into a small hook. Now they have a chain that can hold a tiny flashlight or a whistle.
It’s not fancy, but it works. And when a clip breaks, you just grab another one.
26. Felt Fox Face
Cut a small orange circle for the fox head, two white triangles for cheeks, and two black triangles for ears. Glue them together with fabric glue.
Poke a hole at the top. Thread a small ribbon through the hole and tie the ends into a loop.
Hang the loop on the zipper pull. It’s soft, quiet, and looks like a little forest friend.
27. Key Ring Whistle
Buy a tiny plastic whistle that comes with a key ring attachment. Slide the key ring onto the zipper pull.
That’s it. One second craft.
Now they can whistle for you from the trail without screaming your name. You’re welcome.
28. Beaded Rainbow
String red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple pony beads onto a pipe cleaner in that order. Bend the pipe cleaner into an arc.
Twist the ends together to form a loop. That loop goes over the zipper pull.
Flatten the arc so it looks like a rainbow. My kid calls it her “luck charm.”
29. Tin Foil Star
Cut a square of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Fold it into a tiny origami star (there are easy 5-step tutorials online).
Poke a hole in one point with a needle. Thread a piece of thread through the hole and tie a loop.
Attach the loop to the zipper pull. It’s crinkly and shiny and costs nothing.
30. Rubber Band Ball Mini
Take ten tiny colorful rubber bands and wrap them into a tight ball around a paperclip. Leave the paperclip’s outer loop exposed.
Hook that paperclip loop onto the zipper pull.
It bounces if it falls off, but it probably won’t. And if it does, you’ve got rubber bands for emergency ponytails.
31. Mini S’more
Cut a small brown circle from felt (graham cracker), a white rectangle (marshmallow), and a brown square (chocolate). Stack them: cracker, chocolate, marshmallow, cracker.
Glue the stack together with a needle and thread instead of glue — just stitch through the center. Leave a thread loop at the top.
Hang the loop on the zipper pull. Now they carry a s’more everywhere but can’t eat it. Cruel? Maybe. Cute? Absolutely.
32. Bottle Opener Pull
Take a tiny keychain bottle opener (the flat kind). Slide its key ring onto the zipper pull.
It’s not really a craft, but kids love having a “tool” on their backpack. Plus, you can open your soda at the picnic table without searching the cooler.
Tell them it’s for opening root beers. They’ll feel very important.
33. Scrap Fabric Tassel
Cut a 2-inch square of scrap fabric. Fringe the bottom half into thin strips, then roll the top half into a tight cylinder.
Tie a short piece of embroidery floss around the cylinder to hold it. Leave the floss ends long enough to form a loop.
Slide the loop over the zipper pull. It’s bohemian, it’s soft, and it used up that weird scrap you’ve been saving for years.
And there you go — 33 ways to keep your kids busy at camp and their backpacks looking like a craft fair exploded.
Pick three or four to try on your next trip. Pack a small bag of beads, pipe cleaners, and felt, and you’ll never hear “I’m bored” again.
Well, almost never. Let’s be realistic. But at least their zipper pulls will look awesome while they complain about the mosquitos.
Now go grab that jar of mismatched buttons and get to work. Your kid’s backpack is waiting.