To the untrained eye, a Popsicle stick holds a cold, sweet-tasting treat designed to keep you cool on those hot summer days. But to a parent, that stick is a sanity-saver, a craft supply that represents hours of fun for their children on those long and often boring summer days. As parents, we at Workman’s Friend understand the importance of Popsicle sticks. They are the most popular craft item on the market and probably the least expensive. Yet, if you want your children to play and build with them, it will take more creativity than simply slapping down a bag in front of your kids and telling them to have fun. You will need a lot of glue, paint, stickers and more to let their imaginations run wild. Before you know it, their little hands are a sticky mess. Apply Barrier Skin Cream before the crafting begins and save yourself the headache of trying to scrub little hands clean when they are finished. The cream is safe for children and provides an invisible layer of protection that prevents paint, glue and more from adhering to skin. Once the crafts are complete, a single wipe or quick wash will leave hands clean, moisturized and ready for the next activity. Let’s get crafting! The following is a brief list of some of the crafts you can build with popsicle sticks and Workman’s Friend.
Related: Time Management Tips for a Successful Home-Based Craft Business
Popsicle Stick Vases
Popsicle stick vases can be filled with dirt and planted with something or used as vases for cut flowers. They can even be used as utensil or pen holders. They are a craft that is better suited to children who are a little older and have a longer attention span. As a parent you’ll need to be the judge of that.
Supplies:
- Soup can
- popsicle sticks
- red and blue paint dab markers or paint
- glue dots
- twine
- Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream
Apply Barrier Skin Cream to completely coat hands, nails and wrists. Begin by painting the front and sides of your Popsicle sticks and let dry. Put one glue dot on the back of each stick. Press them onto the can. If you’re making a pattern (i.e. orange and black) alternate one orange stick with one black as you move along the can. If you run out of room and have two of the same color next to each other, simply glue them side to side on the back.Wrap and tie some twine around the middle of the can and you have a beautiful new vase. Clean hands with a quick wipe and you are ready for the next project!
Popsicle Stick Fans
What’s better on a hot summer day than a fan, more specifically a fan that you’ve made yourself with Popsicle sticks? Though not nearly as durable as traditional fans a popsicle one is a fun craft to make that is not only pretty to look at but useful as well.
Supplies:
- Popsicle Sticks
- Paper Fasteners
- Clear Tape
- Pen
- Scissors
- Drill
- Watercolors
- Crayons
- Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream
If you already applied Barrier Skin Cream for your afternoon of crafting, there is no need to reapply. The cream protects and moisturizes for up to 4 hours, even when you wash or wipe off your hands. If this is your first craft of the day then apply the cream thoroughly over hands and let’s get to work! Tape together approximately 5 Popsicle sticks. Then, drill a hole on one end through all the Popsicle sticks. Make sure the hole is large enough for the paper fastener to fit through.Push the fasteners through all of the Popsicle sticks and attach them together. Remove the tape and trim the fastener. Spread the sticks out like the ribs of a fan so that they are evenly space from one another. Trace the arc of a fan shape around the sticks. Keep your sticks spread out and remove them from the picture. Draw in the bottom arc of the fan. Cut out your fan shape and then paint with watercolors or color in with crayons. When the color has been added and is dry (in the case of the paint) spread out the Popsicle sticks on the back of your fan. Trim off any excess paper. With care begin folding your paper fan and remember the fold placement will be permanent. Then gently open your fan and voila - cool air all summer long!
Popsicle Stick Easels
As a parent one thing you’re never short of is artwork from your children. Your fridge and fireplace mantles are full of pieces. But there’s a better way to display their works and that is by helping them build their own easels with Popsicle sticks.
- 3 large Popsicle sticks
- 2 smaller Popsicle sticks
- Glue
- Cardstock (1 piece)
- Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream
Apply Barrier Skin Cream on hands. Start building your easel by cutting out a Y-shaped piece of cardstock. This piece of paper will act as a hinge for your easel legs. Glue the ends of three Popsicle sticks onto the cardstock to form the easel legs in a tripod shape. Glue two smaller sticks together to make an extra-thick stick ledge to hold the artwork. These smaller sticks will complete the "A" configuration of the easel. Fold the cardstock hinge to stand the easel up on all of its three legs and there you go an easel ready to feature your children’s finest works of art. Quickly wash or wipe hands for clean, moisturized skin.
More than Just a Stick, More than Just a Hand Cream
Above are a few examples of some of the hundreds of crafts that you can create using Popsicle sticks and Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream. What you might see as a fudge ice-cream holder can be much more to your child, if given a little bit of guidance by you.In addition, our Barrier Skin Cream does more than just moisturize hands, it protects the skin and makes clean up much easier.This summer, take the time to experiment and explore all the ideas that can come from a few Popsicle sticks. These sanity-savers might just prove to be a lot of fun for you and your child. Get your Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream and start crafting today!
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Workman’s Friend Barrier Skin Cream is light-weight and odorless perfect for Popsicle stick crafters. An application of our non-greasy formula means your hands will remain moisturized as you glue, paint and cut. When you’re done a simple wipe and you’re all clean.