10+ Easy Ice-Cream or Popsicle Stick Crafts for Kids

With the large number of ice creams and popsicles that your kids and you will gorge on this summer, throwing them away isn’t the best thing that you can do with them. Instead, save those sticks for fun and creative projects! There are various craft ideas for kids with ice-cream sticks that are extremely creative and quite easy for your little one to do by himself. Popsicle stick crafts for kids can turn simple materials into amazing art pieces, toys, or decorations. Not only does it stoke the creative genius inside him, but it also helps children look at scrap or waste material in a new way and understand recycling. These activities are not only entertaining but also educational, making them perfect for summer afternoons.

Easy Popsicle Stick Craft Ideas for Children

Here are some craft ideas with popsicle sticks that you can try with your children.

1. A Garden Full of Ice-Cream Plants that Look Like Alphabets

If alphabet soup can be a thing, why not an alphabet garden?

Image Credit: Pinterest

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What You Will Need

• Ice cream sticks
• Flower Pots
• Green coloured felt paper
• Tray
• Coloured pens
• Artificial flowers
• Paintbrushes
• Green coloured paint
• Dried black beans
• Rice grains and lentils
• Glue

How to Make it

1. Take all the ice cream sticks together. Then start colouring them in green colour. These become the stems of the plant.
2. Using a coloured sketch pen, let your kid write one letter one on each stick. All these letters should come together to form a sentence.
3. Once letters have been written, take the artificial flowers and start attaching them to the end of each stick. Use glue to affix them firmly onto the ice cream stick.
4. Take the tray and lay down the green coloured felt paper on it. This will become the garden’s base. Place the flower pots on it. The pots, too, can be coloured or can have various designs painted on them.
5. Fill all the pots to a good level by using the lentils, rice grains and beans as sand and soil. In this soil, plant your ice cream plant stems in the right order.
6. Place the pots accordingly so that they form a sentence.

2. A Box Made of Ice Cream Sticks to Store All Your Treasures

Let your child have his own safe box where he keeps all the little trinkets he collects.

Image Credit: Pinterest

What You Will Need

• Icecream sticks
• A box lid
• Earbuds
• Various paints
• Paintbrushes
• Glue

How to Make it

1. Collect all the ice cream sticks together and paint each one of them in a unique colour. Feel free to add any designs or patterns using other colours or pens.
2. Place the lid face down and pour the glue into it until there’s a small layer.
3. Take an earbud and dip it in the glue. Then use it to apply glue on to the side of the ice cream sticks gradually.
4. Now, place two sticks in such a manner that they are parallel to each other. Then place two more sticks above them, such that together they form a square.
5. Once this initial framework is ready, let your kid repeat the process until he has a box that is large enough for him.
6. Allow it to dry. Once dried, place it upside down. Then seal the bottom portion by applying glue on the bottom sticks and covering that portion with the remaining ice cream sticks.
7. Create a separate square using the sticks to form the lid of the box and place it on top of it.

3. A Boat Made from Ice Cream Sticks that Can Actually Float on Water

One of the easiest and most fun-filled popsicle stick boat craft for kids.

Image Credit: Pinterest

What You Will Need

• Popsicle sticks
• Decorative paper
• Normal paper
• A smaller ice cream stick
• Glue

How to Make It

1. Put a bunch of popsicle sticks flat down on the table. Take another stick and apply glue to it. Place this stick in such a way that it is perpendicular to the other sticks and cover them all.
2. Repeat the process with more sticks so as to create a base for the raft. Keep as minimal space between the sticks as possible. Keep a tiny gap in the centre.
3. Take the smaller ice cream stick and apply glue on one end. Cut the decorative paper into a triangle. Fold it around the glue end of the stick in such a way that it forms a triangular sail.
4. Once it dries, fix the stick in the central gap of the raft. Apply some glue there if the stick feels loose.
5. Test out the boat in a tub of water and watch it float merrily.

4. A Photo Frame for a Jigsaw Puzzle Piece Landscape

Complete the puzzle and turn it into a nice painting for the house.

Image Credit: Pinterest

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What You Will Need

• Popsicle sticks
• Old jigsaw puzzle pieces
• Ribbons
• Coloured sketch pens
• Normal paper
• Scissors
• Glue

How to Make it

1. Take 4 ice cream sticks together. Apply glue on each end of the ice cream stick.
2. Now place two sticks on either end of a stick in such a way that the stick is perpendicular to both.
3. Once stuck, take the final stick and glue it at the end of both those sticks, such that it is parallel to the first stick. This will form a square shaped frame.
4. Now let your kid start applying glue to each piece of the jigsaw puzzle. Paste these over the frame one by one in such a way that they cover the entire area of the frame.
5. Once done, let him start drawing on the normal paper. That painting will then be glued on to the base of the frame.
6. Create a nice border for the frame using a ribbon and use it behind to form a loop as well.

5. An Ice Cream Stick Butterfly That’s Beautifully Decorated

What could be a better addition to the alphabet garden than a wonderful butterfly?

Image Credit: Pinterest

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What You Will Need

• Ice cream sticks
• Black marker
• Normal paper
• Shiny tiny dots
• Scissors
• Glue

How to Make it

1. Take a bunch of ice cream sticks. Ask your kid to colour them all completely using the black marker.
2. With the normal paper, lightly sketch out the shape of a butterfly wing. Cut that out using a pair of scissors.
3. Take some glue and gently use it to paste the tiny dots onto the butterfly wings.
4. Once the wings are ready, take one ice cream stick and glue it in such a way that it is exactly in the centre of both wings.
5. Repeat the same for multiple butterflies.

6. Popsicle Stick Bird Feeder for Little Garden Visitors

A simple way to attract birds while recycling ice cream sticks.

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What You Will Need

• Popsicle sticks
• Twine or string
• Non-toxic glue
• Birdseed
• Small plastic tray or cardboard base
• Paint (optional)

How to Make It

1. Glue popsicle sticks together to form a square or rectangular base.
2. Build up the sides by layering sticks vertically, securing them with glue.
3. Once dry, attach twine to the corners for hanging.
4. Decorate with paint if desired.
5. Fill the base with birdseed and hang it outside.

7. Popsicle Stick Wind Chime for a Musical Touch

A colorful, tinkling decoration for your child’s room or garden.

Image Credit: Pinterest

What You Will Need

• Popsicle sticks
• Acrylic paints
• Small beads or bells
• String or yarn
• Glue

How to Make It

1. Paint the popsicle sticks in bright colors and let them dry.
2. Tie strings to each stick at equal lengths.
3. Attach beads or bells at the ends of the strings.
4. Connect all strings to a central ring or another popsicle stick.
5. Hang near a window or outdoors for a gentle chime.

8. Popsicle Stick Bookmarks for Little Bookworms

A fun idea for ice cream craft for preschoolers to mark pages while encouraging reading.

Image Credit: Pinterest

What You Will Need

• Popsicle sticks
• Markers or paint
• Stickers or glitter (optional)
• Washi tape

How to Make It

1. Decorate popsicle sticks with colors, patterns, or favorite characters.
2. Add stickers, washi tape, or glitter for extra flair.
3. Let dry completely before using in books.

9. Popsicle Stick Puppets for Storytime Fun

Encourage imaginative play with handmade stick puppets.

Image Credit: Pinterest

What You Will Need

• Popsicle sticks
• Construction paper or felt
• Googly eyes
• Markers
• Glue

How to Make It

1. Cut out animal or character shapes from paper/felt.
2. Glue them onto popsicle sticks.
3. Add googly eyes and draw details with markers.
4. Use them for storytelling or puppet shows!

10. Popsicle Stick Picture Holder to Display Art

A cute way to showcase your child’s drawings or photos.

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What You Will Need

• Popsicle sticks
• Clothespin
• Paint
• Glue

How to Make It

1. Glue two popsicle sticks in an “X” shape for the base.
2. Paint and decorate as desired.
3. Attach a clothespin at the top to hold pictures.
4. Let dry before displaying artwork.

11. Popsicle Stick Christmas Tree Ornaments

Festive DIY decorations for the holiday season.

Image Credit: Pinterest

What You Will Need

• Popsicle sticks
• Green and brown paint
• Mini pom-poms, sequins, or beads
• Glue
• String for hanging

How to Make It

1. Paint sticks green (tree) and brown (trunk).
2. Glue sticks in a triangle shape for the tree.
3. Decorate with pom-poms or sequins as ornaments.
4. Attach a string loop at the top for hanging.

FAQs

1. Are there non-toxic, kid-safe alternatives to hot glue for these crafts?

Absolutely! White school glue, glue dots, or even homemade flour paste work well for younger kids. For stronger holds, non-toxic craft glue is a safer option than hot glue.

2. How can I make popsicle stick crafts more durable for outdoor use?

Seal them with waterproof Mod Podge or child-safe varnish. For extra strength, reinforce joints with extra glue layers or small wooden dowels.

3. Can popsicle stick crafts be used for educational purposes beyond art?

Definitely! They’re great for math (counting, patterns), science (building structures), and language (storytelling with puppets or letter crafts).

Kids can unleash their creativity once they get the gist of it. And by learning various ice cream stick craft for preschoolers or even school kids, you can join them in teaching how to make the best of waste material and turn scrap into something that is beautiful and long-lasting.

These were some amazing ideas for ice cream arts and crafts for preschoolers. Along with keeping your child occupied for hours, craft helps unleash creativity and boost other skills. Apart from doing these activities, you can help your child have all-around development by subscribing to a monthly activity box for kids, such as Intellikit. Each box has activities that involve various types of play to boost certain skills in children and keeping them occupied with fun learning at home. Subscribe to Intellikit and receive a box of happiness right at your doorstep every month!

Also Read:

Plastic Bottle Crafts for Kids
Cardboard Crafts for Children
Greeting Card Making Ideas for Kids
Weather Crafts for Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Kids

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