Craft Stick Games and Activities

My daughter and her friends love jumbo craft sticks. Wal-Mart sells a large box that is guaranteed fun for hours. Her favorite way to play is gluing them into shapes and then painting with watercolor paint. But I needed new ideas, looking something small and easy to fit into a PoKi sling. Here are some of my favorite ideas!


American Indian Stick Game
Craft sticks and a couple of markers are all it takes to put this easy American Indian game together. Simple enough that it could be completed just about anywhere, wouldn't necessarily need to use craft sticks, just something flat that could be decorated on one side and dropped. Click here for American Indian Stick Game instructions.

Decorate two craft sticks with the same design, and the other two different. Leave the back side blank. Use additional sticks for score keeping.

Shape Sticks
 This was a fantastic demo by Vanessa at Tried and True. The only thing I did differently was I shrunk the booklet, intending to laminate before my eldest son's FRC Robotics Event. It did not get finished, but the kids loved them anyway! It was a simple activity to put together. I did use regular hook and loop tape (strips cut into squares); it's what I had and although not quite as nice looking as Vanessa's, worked just as well. Her demo says it all and has a great printable so I will let her describe for you. Click here for Vanessa's Shape Sticks

I already had Velcro in strips so I just cut into squares.

Craft Stick Puzzle

These are everywhere on Pinterest on these days. Take two coloring sheets cut out from a coloring book or activity pad (mine came from the dollar store). Then take eight craft sticks and line them up. You can temporarily attach tape across the sticks on the on one side to keep the sticks from moving. Cut out a coloring sheet to fit and glue down with a glue stick. Flip over, remove tape and repeat with remaining coloring sheet. When glue is dry, use a sharp knife to cut between the sticks. Pack the crayons, so it will be two times the fun!

Cut out picture and glue down to craft sticks. Turn over and repeat. When glue is dry, use a utility knife to carefully cut apart sticks.

God's Eye Yarn Craft
Do these bring back memories? I remember making them at camp. I am sure my little people will enjoy.   It requires little time to put together. No craft sticks? Use a couple of sticks from a tree....or maybe a couple of straws from your local drive thru!
Click here for printable directions. 

Use variegated yarn for added effect!

Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Game

BLT Felt Game - Portable-Kid.com

 When I saw this adorable Peanut Butter and Jelly Game from Family Home and Life, I knew I had to put one together. Pb&J's are a huge hit in our house, so it seemed a no brainer. However, we are on a huge bacon kick, and not for the reasons one might suppose. Sure, bacon is completely awesome, especially when wrapped around another yummy food such as shrimp or pork tenderloin (forgive me vegetarians, we love our meat!). But we are completely obsessed with bacon for a different reason. This past year our eldest began participating in FIRST Robotics, which builds a large robot that has to perform a variety of tasks on a large playing field. Name of son's club? Exploding Bacon. And since building the robot for the competition takes a very intense six weeks, we have been eating, sleeping and dreaming about bacon. So in honor of the above, our PB&J game became BLT's. Same rules, same fun. Simple and easy to create, just takes a few minutes to cut out and begin.
To begin, all is needed is several pieces of felt. I used what I had on hand; tan, red, green, orange and gold. You can cut out freehand or  download template and directions to game.  I cut out enough for 2 players; however the fun of this game is that any number can play.

Cut out enough pieces for each player.

Freehand wiggly lines slightly shorter than the length of your bacon, 2 per piece

Glue wiggly lines to bacon

Cut felt squares slightly smaller than wood block. My block was approx 1"

Time to play!

I'll be honest- I loved Family's Pb&J picnic bag, but it was too big for my purposes. This game I made in preparation of our first completion, a 3 day event. I need to bring lots of ideas to amuse the younger ones without carrying a huge bag. This game fits perfectly into a plastic soapbox; which slides into a pocket in on of my kid slings.

I link at these parties!

Vacation Memories

I saw this on House of Wentworth recently and knew it would be the perfect way to remember our family trips. Our recent trip to Myrtle Beach would have been a great place to gather our first bag of sand as a momento, but wouldn't you know made it home without any sand. Note to self....set a reminder next time!
Do you think it would be wrong to just add sand from the sandbox and attach a label to it?!?

Here's my vacation jar ready to be filled...too bad I forgot the sand!

Travel Crayon Holder

When I saw this on Simply Frugal Mom, I knew not only was an awesome idea to keep crayons in one place, but it would also fit perfectly into a PoKi sling. I found these cute little soap boxes for 97 cents each at Wally World (of course I got a different color for each kid!). Each container holds a bit of paper and crayon to keep hands occupied while waiting at the grocery store or restaurant. Unlike Simply Frugal Mom, my lid is a little concave. Didn't seem to bother the kids while drawing. I might get a little crafty and personalize each box, or better yet, let each child decorate their own. The only post it notes I had were a little too big, but they still worked. These will be going into the travel box ASAP!