Popsicle sticks provide a world of crafting possibilities for elementary school students. Use these sticks to construct mini houses, boats and other creations. You can find Popsicle sticks at local craft stores or ask kids to collect some sticks from Popsicles they eat and bring them in. Feature crafts based on a particular theme, or upcoming event or holiday.
Plant Pals
Help children create Plant Pals with Popsicle sticks, paint and craft paper. Show the children paint the sticks any color of their choosing. Cut out animal faces, people faces and flower heads from card stock or other craft paper. Glue the head of the animal or person on the top of the stick. Use markers to draw faces a nose and mouth and glue on googly eyeballs. The finished sticks go inside potted plants for an added touch.
Friendship Sticks
Help the children make decorative Friendship Sticks for Friendship Day in August or as craft for the first day of school. Show them paint the sticks light pastel colors such as blue, pink, purple or cream. The kids can then paint stripes, dots or other designs on the sticks as long as the background color is light. Let the paint dry and then use darker paint to help the children write friendship messages on the sticks such as "Best Friends," "Thank you for Being my Friend" or something similar. Encourage the children to give these sticks to friends around home or in the class.
Stick People Puppets
Show the children make stick people puppets. Use the sticks as the torso for a person and make construction paper heads and clothing and limbs to go over the stick. Glue these items on the stick in layers until you have a complete person. Make different people such as a Mom, Dad and kids, or any other characters the children want to create; let their imaginations go wild. The kids can then hold the bottom of the stick and play with their puppets.
Peppermint Candy Stick Frame
Help your students make a decorative, Christmas-themed frame with peppermint candies and jumbo-sized Popsicle sticks. If you can't find jumbo sticks you can modify this craft by gluing two or more Popsicle sticks together for each section of the frame. Show the kids paint the sticks green and red. They can paint stripes on the sticks or make them solid green and red. Glue the sticks together to create a square frame. Help the children cut a picture -- something they like from a magazine or a copy of a favorite family picture, for example -- to fit the size of the frame. Tape the border of the picture on the back of the frame so the image shows through the front. Lastly, help the kids glue unwrapped peppermint candies around the border of the frame.
