Hama bead type activity with less plastic?

[ThreeFeetTall]

I used to love Hama beads as a kid and realised my son (age 7) would like them too, he likes carefully placing things and making patterns etc and saw some his cousin had made.

But it's so much single use plastic! Is there an eco/reusable type or a type of craft that uses similar skills?

Quilling? Bit of a stretch but once you've rolled the paper strip you place them to create designs.

I love the way quilts look but sadly it took 4 years to finish my one and only personal effort

Just to clarify this is for my 7 year old to do (or maybe us together)

Quilling isn’t quilting op, quilling is the craft of rolling little strips of paper and making patterns from them

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hyber-Cara-Quilling-Including-Template/dp/B07T3BFFC1/ref=asc_df_B07T3BFFC1/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=367419288172&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4183198411867381548&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007274&hvtargid=pla-785935195423&psc=1

It's still plastic, but more reusable than Hama, it's called Simbrix, although the website is down at present as they are going through a re-brand I believe. It is pixel art but the squares connect together so that the model doesn't fall apart as they build. My kids love it (so do we!), and when they have had enough of it, it's dismantled just like lego! 🙃

Could he do some mosaic art? You can use recycled materials/things you've found (for example on the beach)/paper or card etc.

You can get paper threading beads (or use pasta), and biodegradable hama beads.

Patterns with sand or coloured rice, Mosaic squares, or wooden Tanagram shapes would all meet the pattern interest.

Ah quilling! That will teach me to read quickly...going to book an eye test now

@Phizpop oooh interesting, I'll investigate. I don't mind plastic in general (we have a lot of Lego), it's the single use thing that I don't like, so re making it sounds great

That's a good call. I think he would benefit from doing in a structured way but maybe we could do it in a tray or something.
Excuse to visit the beach too!

What about checking out any charity shops /selling sites see if you could pick a second hand one up.

@CatOnTheChair
Yes threading beads would fit the bill I think. And he loves a tangram

Yes Hama is plastic but because it's plastic it's lasts and I have seen people sell art made from Hama beads (which is the point - you want art to last a long long time).
He could have a profitable art business one day 🙂

Recycled Hama beads, loads on EBay.