When the holiday season arrives each year, we find ourselves hanging onto simple crafting supplies in larger bulk than usual. This is because whenever our kids have time off from school, they go into turbo crafting mode and want to get creative with just about anything in sight! Those are the days when we find easy crafting techniques and tools like working with popsicle sticks the most useful. They can make all kinds of things quite simply on their own while we wrap presents or get dinner ready for the family.
Just in case you like to keep simple crafts like popsicle stick projects on hand around this time of year too but you’d also like to keep things as seasonal as possible, here are 15 adorable Christmas crafts made with wooden crafting sticks and glue!
1. Popsicle stick Northern Star
Have your kids always taken a liking to crafts that relate to the stories they’ve heard or the films they’ve watched? Well, if their at all familiar with the nativity story, they’ll certainly know all about the North Star that lead the three wise men to the manger! Help them recreate what they think that beautiful star looks like by painting popsicle sticks light blue and gluing them in layers and at different angles. We love the way Fashion Blog gave things a subtle winter touch by adding little snowflake shaped beads too.
2. Triangle Christmas trees
Perhaps your kids are very little and you’re hoping to keep things as simply shaped as possible, while still managing to make them Christmas-y and fun? In that case, we think this adorable triangle Christmas tree idea might be just the kind of thing you’re looking for! Crafty Crafted shows you how to easily colour the sticks, glue the triangle, and even decorate the “tree” with colourful foam dots.
3. Popsicle stick and wooden spool Christmas trees
Just because you’re crafting with popsicle sticks doesn’t mean that has to be the only tool you use, or even the main focus of the project! We love the way Crafts Unleashed thought outside the box and made the sticks the trunk of a Christmas tree, but used wooden spools as the stand and thick card with pearly puffy paint as the tree and decorations. We’d make these in all different colours, just like theirs!
4. Popsicle stick and pipe cleaner reindeer
Do you like the idea of sticking to simple shapes but you also think your kids are old enough to handle a little bit more embellishment that the triangle Christmas tree called for? Then maybe creating an adorable reindeer character will be more fun for them! We love the way The Suburban Mom added sparkly pipe cleaners, googly eyes, and pom poms to their popsicle sticks to make them look like Rudolph the red nosed reindeer.
5. Layered twig and bead hanging Christmas tree
Okay, we know we said we were going to stick to crafts that dealt with crafting sticks, but we came across this stunning Christmas tree wall hanger in our search and we just couldn’t resist including it because it’s so pretty! Fun Crafts Kids shows you how to string together horizontal sticks in decreasing length to make a tree shape, as well as how to add beads so they look lie pretty Christmas bobbles. It’s like a natural, Bohemian Christmas tree!
6. Popsicle stick and rhinestone trees
Are you stilling totally into the idea of popsicle stick trees but none of the ones we’ve shown you so far have been quite right for your little ones? Then maybe they’d prefer to make a version that’s got a little more bling to it! We love the way One Little Project made a simple, layered stick Christmas tree and then added plenty of sparkly by sticking rhinestones all over it.
7. Popsicle stick snowmen
Do you already know that your kids absolutely love working with popsicle sticks so you’re just trying to collect as many cute characters as you possibly can? Then we definitely think you should add a fun little snowman to your list! Check out how Dump A Day pieced this one together and gave him a little hat and friendly face.
8. Single stick snowmen with scarves
Do you love the idea of making little popsicle stick snowmen with your kids but you don’t actually have enough sticks to make the collaged kind above and you know you’ll be too busy to go grab more? Then try making single stick snowmen instead! Fashion Blog shows you how to use felt to make a hat, carrot nose, and scarf.
9. Popsicle stick sleds
Do you love the idea of making something our of several popsicle sticks stuck together because you like that the finished product looks like an actual wooden project? Then we have a feeling you’ll love making these cute little sled ornaments by Shore Girls Creations! We love the way they embellished theirs with snowflake sequins and stamps.
10. Popsicle stick soldiers
Has your favourite Christmas story always been The Nutcracker and you’re looking for a way to incorporate that into your list of popsicle characters to make with your kids over the holidays? Then these cute little soldiers are the perfect craft to add! Remodelando la Casa shows you how to give them uniform jackets using paint or paint markers.
11. Popsicle stick angels
Is your Christmas tree topper this year a star shaped topper rather than an angel so you’ve been meaning to make some angel shaped ornaments to hang elsewhere on the tree to make up for it? Well, why not set your kids to the task instead using, of course, their trust popsicle sticks? We love the way Kristal Project made these angels with cute ruffled dresses and little stars.
12. Popsicle stick Grinch
Are you still a big fan of the idea of piecing together several popsicle sticks to make a character that’s a little bit bigger than some of the ones you’ve seen because you know your kids will love painting faces on that wider surface? Well, what better face to paint than that of The Grinch? Whether your kids decide to make him devious looking or happy like he is at the end of the story, This Girl’s Life is here to show them the steps for making it happen.
13. Popsicle stick nativity ornament
Are you still thinking about the idea of helping your kids make characters from different holiday stories they’ve heard but you’d also like to use that craft as a learning opportunity? Then why not help them make a popsicle stick nativity scene just like this one from Simply Real Moms? The building and characters are simple but the finished product is very cute.
14. Tall, layered popsicle stick trees
While your kids are making reindeer and snowmen are you actually itching to start a more involved popsicle stick craft of your own because you see a lot of potential in them? Then we think you’ll have a blast making these wonderfully wooden layered Christmas trees to decorate your mantel or side table with! Home Esthetics shows you how they’re made but you could customize them with paint and sparkly embellishments to your heart’s content too.
15. Popsicle stick wise men
Have you already made a pretty well rounded cast of popsicle stick Christmas characters with your kids but seeing the miniature nativity scene we showed you earlier made you realized you’re missing three individual wise men? Then perhaps you should make them from single sticks just like Made by Mollie’s Mom did here! We like the way they gave each wise man a fancy jacket befit for someone bearing valuable gifts, just like in the story.
