20+ Amazing Things to Do with Popsicle Sticks for Your Child

In this article, we’ll look at a variety of creative and fun activities that use sticks- turning them from basic branches into a world of enjoyment and education. Along with being enjoyable, these activities help develop your child’s creativity, motor skills, and problem-solving skills.

So, gather some sticks from your backyard or your upcoming nature walk, and try the entertaining and instructive stick activities I’ve listed below. 👇

These stick-based activities will keep your kids entertained for a long time. 

I’ve done these activities l with my kids, and I can confidently say that your kids will love them as well.

Best things to do with popsicle sticks

Stirring Spoon

Help the kids in making a magic potion, scented petal potion, or mud soup. Use the stick made from a broken branch and use it as a stirring spoon as they mix and experiment. It’s a creative and enjoyable way to work with organic materials. 🥣

Knocking The Sticks

Playing this simple game was a lot of fun for my son. On the ground, mark two lines eight feet apart.

In the center of the lines, place a stick.

Throw sticks to the target stick to cause it to cross one of the lines.

Sorting Sticks

Gather sticks of various colors and sizes. Allow kids to arrange them into various piles or containers according to length or color. 

The kids can also be asked to arrange the sticks according to the number of branches. In a fun way, this encourages sorting, counting, and motor skills. 

Kick The Stick

Find a sturdy, long stick. On the ground, mark a target.

Kick the stick to hit the target as you turn it.

Different-sized sticks were used by my son and his friends to make the game simpler or more challenging.

Weaving

Introduce weaving by using yarn and sticks. Through the use of yarn and sticks, children can make patterns and textures. This improves fine motor skills and sparks the imagination. Encourage the kids to personalize the weaving with natural materials like leaves or flowers.

Pro Tip😃

Encourage them to practice and be persistent because weaving can be tricky at first. Support them to experiment with different weaving patterns, such as stripes and chevrons, or even try out simple shapes.

Catapult

Sticks, rubber bands, and a spoon can be used by children to construct an easy catapult. They can then launch tiny, soft objects like pom-poms.

Many of these catapults were self-made by my son.

Natural Mandala

On the ground, kids can make mandalas out of sticks, leaves, and flowers. This exercise promotes creativity, concentration, and an appreciation of the beauty of nature. 🌻

The youngsters can investigate patterns and colors with a focus on nature. I can’t wait until my daughter starts making these designs.

La Palma

La Palma, also referred to as “The Palm,” is a common stick game in Mexico. Children throw the sticks to topple a wooden target. It is a fantastic way for kids to practice accuracy.🎯

Frame Making

The youngsters can make frames out of sticks and twine. My son painted some pictures, and he then decorated them with the frames that he made. 

We have a display of his work in our living room, and every time someone compliments it, he shines with pride.

Magical Wand

To make magical wands, kids can decorate sticks with glitter, ribbons, and paint. They can pretend to be superheroes, fairies, or wizards. You could create some magical robes for them to wear to increase the fun.

Hit The Penny

In the game “Hit The Penny,” kids place a penny on a stump or other object. They take turns using sticks to attempt to remove the penny. 

This improves hand-eye coordination and aim. 

My daughter and I have already begun this activity by placing the penny on a short stick.

Fairy House  

Children can build fairy houses out of sticks, leaves, and other natural materials. Any kind of stick will do, but longer sticks will make it simpler to build an intricate house. In our backyard, my son built one such fairy house.

Pro Tip😃

Remind them to respect nature by only using fallen objects like sticks and leaves and not harming any living things or plants. Encourage children to leave tiny presents for the fairies inside the fairy house, such as shiny pebbles, tiny notes, or flower petals. 

Dragon Cave

Dragon caves can be made by children using sticks, rocks, and leaves. This imaginative play activity is fun. 

The kids can add some dirt or rocks to the base of their cave to make it seem more realistic.

Den

Encourage kids to build a den outside using sticks, a sheet, and some pillows. It promotes outdoor play and helps with problem-solving and teamwork. 

These were created by my son and his friends, who used them as cozy hiding places. 

Fort

Kids can construct forts out of blankets and sticks. Encourage them to add their pillows and toys to the fort. It’s a great place for reading, making up stories, or even a relaxing nap.

Additionally, I added some fairy lights to the fort my son had constructed.

Bird Nest

Children can collect sticks of various sizes. By weaving the sticks together, you can assist them in creating a nest.🐦

They may cover the nest with leaves, grass, or other organic materials. My son had made one nest and placed it on a tree outside.

Lame Chicken

In “Lame Chicken,” children balance sticks on their hands, elbows, and shoulders. Whoever remains standing the longest wins. 

This game aids in the development of children’s fine-motor abilities, and I plan on introducing it to my daughter at a young age.

DIY Tic Tac Toe

Using sticks and stones, children can make a Tic Tac Toe grid on the ground. They can play the game in turns. 

The game would be a lot of fun for my son and his friends. On occasion, I played this game with them as well.😅

Stack Firewood

Children can build miniature “wood piles” by stacking sticks like firewood. Teach them teamwork and safe stick-handling techniques. 🔥

Stress on the significance of outdoor fire safety. 

Remember that for a safe and enjoyable experience, adult supervision is essential.

Keynote😃

Encourage children to respect the environment by only collecting dead or fallen wood and leaving living trees alone.

Teach children how to recognize and avoid poisonous plants like poison ivy and poison oak. 

Matchstick Logic Puzzle

Give children matchsticks or other longer sticks to form puzzles or shapes. 

They rearrange sticks to solve problems, enhancing their ability to think critically and solve problems. 🤔🧠

You can even look for such puzzles that can be modified with sticks online.

Sticks And Playdough Craft

Kids can also participate in a craft activity using play dough and sticks. 

They can construct one-of-a-kind sculptures or structures, fostering creativity and fine motor skills.

Since making playdough is a bit of a hassle, I would advise you to buy it from the store.

Nature Brushes

Children can create nature brushes by attaching grass, flowers, or leaves to the stick ends. To create lovely, organic artwork, they can paint with brushes. 🖌️👨‍🎨

The natural materials can also be fastened to the brush with glue or string by children.

Pick Up Sticks

Collect a variety of colored sticks. Spread them out across the ground. Without disturbing the other sticks, the children pick up a stick one at a time. 

My daughter likes to play this. It’s a fantastic way for kids to work on their patience and focus.

Draw On The Ground

This is the easiest activity using sticks. Give the kids some tree branches or other sticks so they can draw in the mud or on the sand.

I enjoyed doing this activity with my son, and I’ll do it again with my daughter.

Stick Maze

On the flooring, use tape to make a maze. Along the maze’s route, place sticks. The maze requires children to make their way through while collecting sticks. 🤔

Time the effort of each child. The youngster who finishes first in time wins.

Tap Your Sticks

Kids gather in a circle, each holding a stick. With their stick, one child taps out a rhythm. The person who comes next repeats and adds their beat, and this continues in the circle again. 

Anyone who makes a mistake is dismissed. The winner is the person who is left.

Pole Vault

The activity was a favorite of my son’s.

Place a cushion or soft mat down. Kids take turns using long sticks to “pole vault.” Put the stick on the floor, then sprint and jump over it. Every round, you can raise the height. 

Drumsticks

Two sticks should be provided per child for drumming. Kids mimic using their “drumsticks” on safe surfaces as you play different beats.🥁

The game evolves with speed and complexity. This is fantastic for developing rhythm and improving coordination.

Stick Tower

Equal sticks should be distributed to each child. Provide a timer. Before the time limit expires, kids compete to build the tallest stick tower. When the clock runs out, whoever has the tallest tower that can support itself wins.

This is something my son used to do with his friends.

Shape Game

Gather sticks of different lengths. On the ground, trace the shapes (circle, square, triangle). The shapes are made by children using sticks. To keep it interesting, you can turn it into a race or a team challenge.

You can also add the rule that children must correctly identify a predetermined number of shapes before moving on.

Keynote😃

Working together to arrange the sticks can be beneficial if they are creating large shapes. Create shapes that are identical on both sides to teach them about symmetry.

If necessary, kids can glue sticks together with mud, clay, or soft materials.

Balancing The Sticks

Kids try to balance sticks for as long as they can by holding them upright on their hands, palms, or fingers.

To make it more difficult, they can walk or move around; whoever can balance their sticks for the longest wins.

Sword Fight

Children can use soft sticks as swords and soft protection, such as foam padding. Focusing on enjoyment and sportsmanship, they can have friendly mock sword fights. 🤺

Set guidelines for safe play and make sure adults are in charge of the situation.

Stick Boat

Kids can build toy boats out of sticks they have collected. To keep the sticks and leaves for the sails in place, they can use twine. Once the boats are constructed, they can be raced in a shallow tub or on a nearby stream.🛶

Roast A Marshmallow

Allow the children to collect sticks and marshmallows. Then they can use the sticks to skewer marshmallows. Help the kids roast marshmallows on a grill or over a campfire until they are golden brown in a secure area. 

When the children are roasting, make sure there is adult supervision.

Stick Spider Web

Kids make a web out of yarn in various colors and weave it around the sticks. The finished webs can be hung as decorations. 

One such spider web was created by my son, and we used it as a Halloween decoration.🕸️🕷️

Making Words

Write various letters on sticks for this. Then instruct the children to arrange the sticks into words.

To help them understand the meaning of the words, encourage them to use them in sentences. This exercise improved my son’s vocabulary.

Fishing Rod From Sticks

Make a game about fishing. Using sticks, string, and a magnet for the “hook,” kids can make their fishing rods.

The paper fish can then be cut out and given a paperclip. Disperse fish across the ground. When a magnet is attached to a paperclip, kids can “fish.” 🎣

Twig Stars

Gather twigs that are the same length. Twigs are arranged into star shapes by children. Use string or glue to bind them together. For decoration, use paint or glitter. 

As a Christmas decoration, we hung the star that my son had made on our front door.

Forming Letters

Lay down some sticks on the floor. Ask the children to arrange the sticks into alphabetical shapes. 

Encourage them to come up with their own names or word spellings. In a fun and tactile way, this activity encourages letter recognition, spelling, and creativity.

Stick Teepees

Children can build miniature teepees out of sticks and string. They can arrange the sticks in the form of a cone, leaving the top with just a small opening.

The final step is to tie them up with twine or string. Additionally, they can be decorated with leaves or feathers.

Pooh Sticks

Pooh Sticks is an easy-to-play game. Kids drop sticks on one side of a bridge that crosses a stream. Hurry over to the other side to see who gets their stick out first.

This is something that my son and his friends would enjoy doing in our neighborhood’s stream.🥰😍

Boomerang

Children use sticks to create boomerangs. Make a stick’s end into a V shape. Use paint or markers to decorate. Go to a space with plenty of room and flick the boomerang.

My son loves to do this kind of outdoor activity.

Stick Bow And Arrow

Bows can be made by children using flexible sticks and strings. Sticks that are thin, straight, and have pointed ends can be made into arrows. 🏹

It is preferable to make arrowheads out of soft materials. Set up supervision and safety regulations.

Ribbon Streamer

Attach bright streamers or ribbons to the end of a stick. Children hold the stick and swirl it in the air to produce vibrant patterns.

My daughter and son both enjoy running around with them and watching the ribbons flutter in the air.

Stick Mobile

Children can gather sticks of various lengths. The ends of each stick can then be tied with strings.

The mobile is then made by affixing sticks to a larger stick or hanger. Kids can hang it up and observe the sticks’ gentle rotation and swaying.

Paint Them

It’s very easy to do this. Take sticks of various lengths and widths. The sticks can then be painted and personalized by the children. 

Additionally, some of them can be tied together to form bouquets.

Lower The Stick

Children can queue and hold hands. The “stick holder,” a child, stands in the center with a stick held high. Others take turns leaning backward while holding on to the stick to pass underneath. After each round, remind them to lower the stick. 

Fun With Glow In The Dark Sticks

Give each child a pair of glow-in-the-dark sticks. Turn off the lights. They can make patterns, draw in the air, and make shapes. 🤗

By asking children to use the glow sticks to make specific shapes or designs, you can make the activity more engaging.

A glow-stick dance party is another option.

Keynote😃

Before playing, correctly activate the glow sticks according to the instructions. Always keep an eye on young children while they play with glow-in-the-dark sticks to make sure they don’t open them or put them too close to their mouths.

Twisted Crowns

Flexible sticks can be twisted and braided together by children to create crowns. 

To add texture, children can interlace and twist smaller sticks between the larger ones.👑👸🤴

For extra flair, they can even add flowers or decorations. 

The crowns were worn by my son and his friends as they performed a play. 

Conclusion

Sticks are a cheap and adaptable resource that can be used for a variety of kid-friendly and educational activities. Sticks can be used in countless ways, from making structures to producing art. 😃

These are a few of the things I did with my kids. Which activities did you try with your kids? Please share in the comments section.