#putdownthephone: Festive Popsicle Stick Ornaments

This is the perfect frosty crafternoon activity for kiddos. It involves their favourite messy things—paint and glue. Glitter optional. (You’re welcome and we’re sorry.) If you’re in the lead-up to the holiday season, suggest your kiddos make these adorable ornaments as gifts for family or friends. Just killing time on a sub-zero day in February? Add a heavy-duty magnet and make it a fridge art piece.

Snowman and Christmas Tree Ornaments

Materials

• standard-size, plain wooden popsicle sticks
• water-based paints
• paint brushes
• paper or felt
• quick-drying white glue
• decorations: foam shapes, googly eyes, glitter pens

Instructions

1. Have each child choose which item they’d like to make and gather their required popsicle sticks. Note: Using a pair of very sharp scissors, parents will need to cut or trim popsicle sticks for the craft.
   
   For square snowperson: 6 standard popsicle sticks, plus one stick trimmed to 3/4 length
   For snowperson with triangle hat: 3 standard popsicle sticks, plus three sticks trimmed to 3/4 length
   For Christmas tree: two standard popsicle sticks, plus one stick cut into 1/3 and 2/3, and two sticks trimmed to 3/4 length
   
2. Using the image above as a guide, have children set the popsicles sticks out to ensure all the pieces are accounted for. Then, choose a place to start gluing. For smaller kids, help them glue pieces that overlap so they get some stability. (For example, on the snowpeople: Glue the vertical pieces to the horizontal piece. On the tree: Glue the three corners of the triangle.)
   
3. Once the first round of glue has dried, add the other popsicle sticks. For the snowpeople, flip over and apply a thin layer of glue to the back of the popsicle sticks with a paintbrush and allow to dry. For the snowperson with the triangle hat, you can then trim the two sticks on either side of the centre stick and angle inward. Glue in place.
   
4. Once dry, kiddos can decorate. Paint as seen in the picture or get creative. (The triangle hat could easily belong to Santa!) Glitter, paper cutouts, foam shapes, etc. all add a festive touch.

Once the paint is completely dry, thread with a piece of ribbon for hanging or affix a magnet for the fridge.