Is your junk drawer bursting at the seams with leftover popsicle sticks from the summer? You can do so much more with them than just make popsicles to cool off during those hot summer days. Whether it’s crafting, building, or sorting, there are so many shape-creating and playing ideas for kids with popsicle sticks. If you’re wondering what to do with them, this post is for you! I have scoured the internet and collected all of the cutest and most creative popsicle stick craft ideas and activities for toddlers, preschoolers, and big kids.
RELATED: Art has played a big role in my boys’ early years. Here are my favorite art supplies for kids.
What can you do with popsicle sticks?
We spend the summertime mostly outside, playing, running, and cooling off with popsicles. But once the summer ends, we are always left with countless popsicle sticks. If you are wondering how to use up all of those popsicle sticks, look no further! Popsicle sticks are one of those supplies that are so versatile play ideas for kids.
Use craft sticks for:
- Art projects
- Building
- Make popsicles
- Matching
- Sorting
- STEM
- Story retelling
RELATED: Are popsicle sticks getting you excited about summer? Check out these 30 Summer Activities (the best) for Toddlers!
What crafts can you make with popsicle sticks?
Crafting is important for kids. Being creative builds independence, strengthens fine motor skills, and widens the imagination. Popsicle sticks offer so many open-ended ideas for crafting and creating.
- Animals
- Instruments
- Lanterns
- Puppets
- Vehicles
- Plus, so much more! (keep reading, I’ve got some cool ideas listed)
And if you have been a part of the Days with Grey community for a while, you know I tend to gravitate more towards process art with easy ideas for kids. So for this post, I got a little help from my craftier friends.
22 popsicle stick crafts
Alright, now is the time to spice things up with your toddler or preschooler. (big kids too) Grab a handful of popsicle craft sticks and create and craft with these adorable popsicle stick craft ideas!
Develop alphabet recognition and awareness with this cute popsicle stick garden craft.
Make these easy DIY popsicle stick cactus plants for fun sensory and imaginative play.
These cute little bird puppets are fun for pretend play and for the tiniest toddler hands to hold onto.
Let your kids create their own dominoes using fun colors and patterns that they can use to play all of their favorite domino games with.
This fairy castle craft idea is not only cute and adorable for pretend play but includes steps to create both a fairy castle and fairies.
Who doesn’t love a rainbow craft? This popsicle stick craft is a great way to use up popsicle sticks on a rainy day.
A simple art project for your toddler to make and use for fun sorting, matching and fine motor skill building activities.
Grab a handful of craft sticks and create these beautiful geometric snowflakes during the next snowstorm.
This a beautiful and surprisingly simple craft project using popsicle sticks and wax paper that is sure to be a highlight piece in any room of your home.
A fun way to make mini kites to fly around inside using simple craft supplies and, of course popsicle sticks.
A colorful and creative craft activity that strengthens fine motor and math skills.
A simple and sweet art activity that uses popsicle sticks to help retell one of our all-time favorite board books.
Make adorable little arctic animals with this simple DIY art project that your preschooler will love to play imagination with and show off to their friends.
Create adorable popsicle stick dinos with your child that are easy and fun to assemble.
These popsicle stick dragonflies are a sparkly little craft project to welcome the spring season.
We love a DIY musical instrument! Make these simple popsicle stick harmonicas with which your preschooler will love making music.
These cute popsicle stick monsters are easy and fun to make during Halloween.
The cutest little monster bookmarks require minimal supplies and are the perfect page holder for your little bookworms.
Whether or not your child loves unicorns, these popsicle stick unicorns are easy and fun to make!
This popsicle stick vase craft project is functional, simple, and fun to make and give as a great gift idea.
Another easy story-retelling art project that offers a hands-on and creative approach to a classic Halloween tale.
This popsicle stick craft project is a colorful hands-on activity for kids who love reading and retelling stories.
5 popsicle stick activities
Have extra craft sticks after your latest art project? Check out these 5 popsicle stick craft ideas for toddlers and preschoolers.
Introduce color sorting for your preschooler with this simple popsicle stick memory game.
Strengthen your toddler’s fine motor skills and develop shape recognition and awareness using popsicle sticks and leftover egg cartons.
Integrate shape learning and movement with this hands-on activity to help encourage shape matching and recognition.
This a fantastic popsicle stick STEM activity for big kids who love to build and experiment with shapes, sizes, and creativity.
Improve fine motor skills, sorting, and color classification using popsicle sticks with this simple setup toddler activity.
Popsicle stick crafts are limitless!
Popsicle sticks make for the perfect versatile craft and activity supply. If you feel like your art supply box is drowning in excess of popsicle sticks, try out some of these fun ideas for crafting, creating, and playing both! The truth is, in our opinion —- you truly can never have too many popsicle sticks!
Who has time to search for ideas?
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FAQ
Popsicle sticks are traditionally known to be used for making popsicles in the summertime. But there is so much more you can do with them. Popsicle sticks can be used for creating fun crafts and used for sensory play.
Popsicle sticks are so useful and versatile. Crafting puppets, creating vases, and making colorful sensory tools to repurpose for fine motor skill matching and sorting are just some fun and easy ways to craft with popsicle sticks.
Popsicle sticks are for all ages! But they are an especially excellent supply to have on hand for crafts with toddlers, preschoolers, and big kids.
