If your kids are bored this Summer or the rain is keeping their classroom fun inside, we’ve got a collection of exciting activities to solve this dilemma. Our list of awesome stick games is packed full of entertaining projects where your learners will engage with sticks of all sizes in new and innovative ways. From dazzling crafts to mesmerizing experiments, we guarantee you’ll find the inspiration you need to get your kiddos moving and grooving with sticks!
1. Pick Up Sticks
This classic game involves manipulating a bunch of colorful sticks. Start by tossing them in a pile before you challenge your kids to pick up one stick at a time without moving another. The player with the most sticks at the end of the game wins!
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2. Catapulting Pumpkins
Engage your learners in crafting these spooky catapults, perfect for a Halloween theme! Simply guide them in combining craft sticks, rubber bands, and bottle caps to create this engineering marvel. Afterward, supply them with adorable mini pumpkins and allow them to test their creations.
Learn More: There’s Just One Mommy
3. Shape Game
Here’s a helpful activity that’s wonderful for introducing your little ones to 2D shapes. Task them with coloring craft sticks before labeling the sticks with different shapes and their corresponding number of sides. These crafts can then be used as an educational game by inviting your learners to match up their shape sticks according to the color and number of sides.
Learn More: Team Cartwright
4. DIY Tic Tac Toe
This adorable version of tic-tac-toe is one that we guarantee your class will love! Encourage them to paint craft sticks with vibrant colors before gluing them together in a tic-tac-toe grid. You’ll then kick off the fun by prompting them to use different color buttons as “Xs” and “Os” to challenge their peers to this fun-filled game.
Learn More: Glued To My Crafts Blog
5. Making Words
Have your students build names and words in this hands-on activity that provides an alternative method of putting craft sticks to use. Simply start by inviting them to label their sticks with different letters and then task them with picking up their sticks and forming their names or high-frequency words.
Learn More: Fantastic Fun And Learning
6. Chain Reaction
Captivate your children with this exciting chain reaction! Guide them in weaving craft sticks together to create a colorful chain around your classroom. Make sure they’re holding on to the last stick before inviting them to let go and observe as the craft sticks fly around their class.
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7. Craft Stick Puzzles
In this activity, your pupils will build handy craft stick puzzles! Begin by having them tape together some sticks before allowing them to decorate their sticks with a picture of their choice. You’ll then have them jumble up their sticks and challenge them to reassemble their unique puzzle.
Learn More: The Crazy Craft Lady
8. Exploding Boomerangs
Brighten up your kids’ day with these exploding boomerangs! Simply task them with layering four popsicle sticks together to create their flying craft. You’ll then prompt them to aim their boomerang at a target before they set it loose and watch as their designs explode just as they hit the target.
Learn More: I Can Teach My Child
9. Popsicle Stick Balancing Game
Why not give this engaging balancing game a try in your next science lesson? Supply your little learners with a surface to balance their sticks on by sticking cardboard to half a foam sphere. Next, encourage them to balance as many craft sticks as they can on the cardboard surface before it tips over.
Learn More: DIY & Crafts
10. Glow-in-the-Dark Tag
Light up classroom playtime with this mesmerizing game! Invite your kiddos to crack some glow sticks and wear them as bracelets or necklaces. You’ll then kick off this game of tag by turning off your lights and challenging them to find and tag their friends by looking out for their glow stick accessory.
Learn More: Starlux Games
11. The Gratitude Game
Welcome positivity and gratitude into your students’ learning environment with this gratitude activity. Engage them in picking up a random colored stick before prompting them to carry out the positive action connected to their color.
Learn More: Teach Beside Me
12. Kick the Stick
Here’s a game that’s perfect for sunny days spent outdoors. Get your kids moving by having them form a circle around a vertical post. Then, arm them with balls and prompt them to kick their balls towards the target. The aim of the game is to hit the target and gain points, as the player who scores the most points wins!
Learn More: Play AFL
13. Stick Fort
Inspire your future architects with this creative activity. Using wonder sticks, you’ll invite them to build castles, forts, houses, and more with this customizable activity. The possibilities are endless!
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14. Color Sorting
This color-sorting activity is a fantastic game for engaging your little ones who are still learning the names of colors. You’ll task them with sorting colored sticks into their correctly labeled bags while also working on developing those fine motor skills.
Learn More: Do Play Learn
15. Dragon Cave
Have your tots create a mythical den for imaginary friends, fairies, and dragons! Engage their curiosity by allowing them to collect natural items like pine cones, grass, twigs, or sticks before you invite them to decorate a cozy tree nook.
Learn More: Go Explore Nature
16. Stick Sword Fighting
For a guaranteed fun time for all, invite your kiddos to participate in a cheerful stick sword fight. Start by establishing clear rules and boundaries before arming them with their sticks and letting the mini-battle begin!
Learn More: YouTube
17. Matchstick Logic Puzzle
Looking for a challenge to keep your little brainiacs occupied for hours? This easy-to-follow video sets out several examples of matchstick logic puzzles. Simply set up each puzzle and then task your pupils with moving one matchstick to find the solution to these mind-boggling brain teasers.
Learn More: YouTube
18. Lower the Stick Game
Think your clever kids are up for this hands-on activity? Engage them in lowering a long wooden stick by having them place their index fingers under the rod. Then, explain to them that their fingers must not leave the surface while they lower their stick to the ground. If one finger disconnects from the stick, they’ll have to start from the top.
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19. Tap Your Sticks
Liven up your next music class with some musical sticks! Engage your tots in following along with this interactive video as you prompt them to use sticks of different sizes, and widths to create various sounds that culminate in a groovy tune.
Learn More: YouTube
20. Giant Lawn Pick-up Sticks
Amp up your classic game of pick-up sticks by introducing these jumbo sticks! Just like the original game, your children will carefully pick up one stick at a time without moving the others.
Learn More: Nellie Bellie
21. Glow Golf
Dim your classroom lights and get your kiddos keen for some glow-in-the-dark golf! Start setting up this shimmering course by laying out glow sticks to form a golf range. Then, have your learners use ping pong balls to make their way around the course.
Learn More: The Spruce
22. Build a Den With Sticks
Next time you’re discussing animal habitats or homes, invite your students to construct these adorable dens! Encourage them to search for natural materials such as sticks and leaves before challenging them to build homes for tiny critters.
Learn More: The Ladybird’s Adventures
23. Make a Wand
Dazzle your littles with these magical wand crafts! Simply have them gather up some natural decorations before assisting them in gluing or tying their items to a stick to create a mystical flower or wizard wand.
Learn More: The Ladybirds Adventures
24. Pom Pom Balance Tree
Explore the art of balance with this fuzzy activity. Begin by gluing craft sticks and bottle caps to a long cardboard roll to create a balancing tree for your kids. Afterward, challenge them to test different balancing techniques by having them place different amounts of pom poms on each side.
Learn More: Hands On As We Grow
25. Dream House Building
Encourage your kiddos to embrace their creativity with this imaginative project! You’ll start by having them randomly pick a number and then select that number of colorful craft sticks. Once they’ve gathered their sticks, task them with constructing houses making sure to use all their sticks before transferring their design to paper.
Learn More: Mrs. Lee’s Kinderkids
26. Nature Weaving
Get your students outdoors and into a creative spirit with nature weaving! Task them with lashing together sticks to create a frame that they’ll then adorn with leaves, grass, twine, or whatever else nature provides. The result? A beautiful piece of tactile artwork that’s a true reflection of the outdoor environment.
Learn More: Fun Crafts Kids
27. Stick Puppet Theater
Bring your kiddos’ stories to life with these charming sticky puppets! Using patterned paper, googly eyes, and a few bits and bobs, you’ll encourage them to create some adorable characters. Afterward, prompt them to take their stick puppets to the stage as you engage them in imaginative play where they’ll perform tales using their theater aids.
Learn More: Crafts by Amanda
28. Stick Sculptures
Watch your learners’ creativity bloom as you challenge them to use sticks as an art medium! Simply invite them to gather some natural materials like sticks and pine cones before challenging them to arrange their items into unique sculptures using colorful yarn.
Learn More: Emma Owl
29. Stick Raft Building
In this hands-on activity, your clever kids will create innovative feats of engineering! Allow them to play around with design and buoyancy as you have them craft rafts out of sticks. Once they’ve created their designs, prompt them to test their structures by encouraging them to float their rafts on a pool of water.
Learn More: Kids Craft Room
30. Stick Tic Tac Toe
Here’s another twist on the classic game of tic-tac-toe. In this version, your littles will construct outdoor grids using sticks and twigs. Afterward, send them off into the schoolyard to find different colored pebbles that they’ll use as their “Xs” and “Os”.
Learn More: EcoScrapbook
31. Stick Alphabet
Promote active letter recognition and enhance your tots’ fine motor skills with this creative project! You’ll engage them in lashing sticks together to create letters of the alphabet. Once they’ve formed a letter, task them with saying its sound out loud to help them connect sight with sound.
Learn More: Scholastic
32. Stick Counting
You’ll combine mathematics and nature in this stick-counting activity. Simply gather up some sticks that you’ll invite your kiddos to use as you engage them in developing their counting addition, subtraction, and pattern recognition skills – making math an exciting hands-on adventure.
Learn More: Learn with Play at Home
33. Stick Hunt
Organize a stick scavenger hunt, where your students can explore the outdoors. You’ll provide them with a checklist before sending them off to search for sticks of all shapes, sizes, and colors. From categorization to measurement – the learning possibilities will be endless!
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34. Stick Hopscotch
Kick up the creativity by adding an exciting addition to this iconic activity. Start by designing a layout using sticks, adding elements of balance and coordination to this classic game. You’ll then challenge them to hop, skip, and jump through the course as they enjoy this creative twist on a timeless activity.
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35. Stick Dominoes
Engage your eager learners in this thrilling chain reaction! Task them with creating stick dominoes by having them layer sticks together on top of a raised surface. Next, prompt them to remove one stick from their chain to begin the cascade of colors.
Learn More: YouTube
36. Stick Maze
Challenge your pupils’ spatial reasoning by having them create a stick maze. Encourage them to lay intricate pathways using sticks and then allow them to navigate the twists and turns to test out their stick maze. It’s a mental workout disguised as an exciting game that’s guaranteed to captivate your young minds for hours!
Learn More: Learning with Outdoors
37. Stick Jump Rope
In this hands-on activity, your children will create their very own jump rope using sticks! Begin by drilling a hole through some wooden dowels before allowing them to decorate each one with vibrant patterns. You’ll then have them thread rope through the dowels which will then become handles for their DIY jump rope.
Learn More: Say Yes
38. Stick Archery
Aiming for something new to add to your kids’ day? Introduce them to stick archery! You’ll guide them in forging bows and arrows out of sticks, string, and straws before challenging them to test out their creations by shooting their arrows at designated targets.
Learn More: Galileo Camps
39. Stick Memory Game
Enhance your little ones’ memory skills through this stick-themed game. Simply provide them with craft sticks that have been labeled with various colorful dots. Then, have them match colors by encouraging them to clip colored pegs onto each corresponding color dot.
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40. Stick Race Track
Rev up your learners’ imagination by having them create a race track using sticks. Task them with sticking craft sticks together to form pieces of their race track. You’ll then prompt them to construct various routes using their race track bits, before inviting them to race toy cars through their track.
Learn More: Glued To My Crafts
41. Stick Balance Beam
Balance, focus, and coordination take center stage in this stick balance beam activity. Start by placing wooden planks around your schoolyard and then challenge your kiddos to walk along the sticks without falling off. It’s a deceptively simple exercise that’s sure to bring lots of laughs and giggles into their day!
Learn More: Hands on as we Grow
42. Stick Hop Stones
In this fun-filled agility challenge, you’ll use sticks to get your students moving. Simply lay out some sticks outside your classroom and then encourage them to hop or crawl to each stick, making sure that they don’t touch the grass along the way.
Learn More: Happy Toddler Playtime
43. Stick Nature Mobile
Celebrate the beauty of nature with this versatile stick mobile! Send your littles outdoors to collect an array of natural items. Using sticks as a starting point, you’ll then guide them in assembling their mobiles by having them string together leaves, feathers, and more which will then be attached to the stick. Once crafted, invite them to hang their mobiles around your classroom as you encourage them to observe how they swing and sway in the wind.
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