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DIY Chunky Wooden Keychain Tutorial: Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s an easy craft that makes a delightful gift for children: a chunky wood keychain full of personality and color.

drawing patterns on chunky wood blocks with colored pencils

These chunky wood block keychains are a simple, low-cost DIY perfect for back-to-school treats, Christmas gifts, stocking stuffers, or personalized party favors. Kids can attach them to backpacks, lunchboxes, or tote bags — and because they’re made from wood, they hold up better than paper or cardboard alternatives.

I made eight to ten of these in an afternoon for a school fundraiser. The supplies were inexpensive, the process was straightforward, and the finished pieces sold well. They’d also be great as a craft-fair item: small, affordable, and eye-catching.

Supplies for DIY Keychain

  • Chunky wood blocks*
  • Thick keychain cording
  • Lobster clasp keychain hardware
  • Colored pencils or paint (optional)
  • Sealant (optional)
  • Scissors

*If your wood blocks don’t already have a hole through the center, drill a hole before you begin.

green cording and keychain lobster clasp being threaded onto cord with wood blocks nearby

How to Make a Wood Keychain

1. Thread the clasp onto the cord.

Start by folding your cording in half and sliding the lobster clasp onto the folded center so the clasp sits at the midpoint. This gives you equal lengths of cord on both sides and creates a neat top loop. Set this aside while you prepare the blocks.

chunky wood blocks with patterns drawn onto them with colored pencils

2. Decorate the blocks.

You can leave the wooden shapes plain — their simple geometry looks great on its own — or add doodles and patterns with colored pencils, markers, or paint. Decorating is an excellent job for kids: they’ll enjoy customizing their own designs and experimenting with color and shape.

3. Seal the artwork (optional).

If you use colored pencils or other media that might smudge, apply a clear sealant once the drawings are dry. A matte medium, Mod Podge, or even a light coating of aerosol hairspray will help protect the designs and keep the colors from rubbing off.

stringing wood blocks onto green cording with lobster clasp

4. Thread the first block and knot below it.

Slide the first wood block onto both ends of the cording and push it nearly to the clasp, leaving a small loop of cord—about a half inch to an inch—at the top. Bring both cord ends under the block and tie a knot immediately beneath it, pulling the knot snug so the block sits securely.

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5. Continue stringing blocks and finish with a double knot.

Repeat the process — slide on a block, then tie a knot under it — until your keychain reaches the desired length. For the final knot, tie a double knot to make sure the blocks stay in place and won’t slide off the cord.

chunky wood keychain with green cording and simple patterns drawn onto blocks

6. Trim any excess cord.

Trim the cord close to the final knot for a tidy finish. If you like, add a tiny dab of clear glue to the knot for extra security. Now the keychain is ready to gift, sell, or use as a personalized accessory.

simple chunky wood keychain being held by woman's hand

wood keychains hanging from a memo board with art behind it

More keychain ideas

For party favors or a group activity, skip the decorating steps and assemble plain keychains in advance. Tuck each finished keychain into a party bag with a small set of colored pencils or crayons so kids can personalize their own at home.

These make a fun, compact party activity and are easy to produce in bulk for favors or fundraising tables.

wood keychain hanging from wood shelf in a bedroom

scattered wood blocks on a wood table with colored pencils

group of wood keychains hanging from a shelf

stacked wood blocks with hand drawn patterns on them

geometric wood blocks in various shapes with simple patterns

group of chunky wood keychains with hand drawn patterns on them - cute for kids

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Chunky Wood Keychain DIY

Brittni

These wood block keychains are a fun DIY to try for back-to-school gifts, holiday presents, stocking stuffers, or unique party favors. They’re inexpensive to make, durable, and customizable — a great little project for kids and adults alike.

Equipment

  • Scissors

Ingredients

  • Chunky wood blocks If blocks don’t have holes, drill them first.
  • Thick keychain cording
  • Lobster clasp keychain parts
  • Colored pencils or paint (optional)
  • Sealant (optional)

Instructions

String a keychain clasp onto cord.

  • Fold the cord in half and slide the lobster clasp onto the center so the clasp sits at the midpoint.

Draw or paint on blocks.

  • Decorate the wooden blocks with pencils, markers, or paint. Keep designs simple for a modern look or let kids go wild with color.

Seal the wood blocks.

  • If needed, protect artwork with a matte medium, Mod Podge, or a light spray sealant.

String the wood blocks onto the cord.

  • Slide the first block onto both cord ends and push it toward the clasp, leaving a small loop at the top. Tie a knot beneath the block to hold it in place.

Continue and finish with a double knot.

  • Repeat sliding blocks on and tying knots underneath until you reach the desired length. Tie a double knot at the end to secure the design.

Cut off excess cording.

  • Trim the cord close to the final knot. Add a small dot of glue to lock the knot if desired.

Notes

More keychain ideas

If you plan to use these as party favors, assemble blank keychains in advance and include a small set of colored pencils or crayons so guests can personalize them later. That way the favors are ready to hand out and still offer a fun mini craft activity.

Did you make this?Share your finished keychain on social media and tag the maker if you like to show off your version.