Kids of all ages are going to have so much fun making Santa’s little helpers. This Popsicle Stick Elf Craft is a fun way to get creative with your little kids this holiday season. Learn how to make your own elf and turn them into Christmas tree ornaments.
All you need for this fun little project are a few art supplies from the dollar store, some time and a bit of imagination.
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More Fun Christmas Crafts to try
There’s nothing like a fun craft to get you into the holiday spirit. Use these great ideas to spend some quality time together as a family this Christmas season. No matter how old your kids are, even toddlers and preschoolers can join in on the fun with these cute ideas.
- Clothespin Snowman Craft
- Toilet Paper Roll Reindeer Craft
- Popsicle Stick Gingerbread Man Craft
- Popsicle Stick Sled Ornaments
- Paper Plate Elf Craft
For more ideas, check out these 25+ Christmas Crafts for Kids or these 36 Popsicle Stick Christmas Crafts for Kids.
Materials Needed
- 4 Wooden craft sticks
- Hot glue gun
- Scissors
- Green, white, yellow and black paint.
- Googly eyes
I used my acrylic paint pens for this project, which I absolutely love and can’t recommend enough. I love how they are still acrylic paint (and have the bright colors that go with that). Additionally they are so precise, which is perfect for detailed work, and the best part is that they don’t make any mess that needs to be cleaned up afterwards.
How to Make a Popsicle Stick Elf Craft
Make the Base
1. Line three craft sticks in a straight row.
I used jumbo craft sticks for this little elf craft, however regular popsicle sticks will work just as well. You can also use as many craft sticks as you like, making the elf as wide or narrow as you want.
2. Cut the last remaining popsicle stick into two pieces, both of which are the same length as the width of the three pop sticks together.
You’re going to use these remaining pieces to attach all of the three jumbo craft sticks together. That way they won’t fall apart while you’re painting your Christmas elf craft.
3. Lay the short popsicle sticks across the jumbo craft sticks.
Place one at the bottom and the other one roughly 1/3 of the way from the top. Make sure to leave some space at the top of your craft sticks, this is going to be important in the next steps.
4. Use hot glue to attach all of the craft sticks together.
5. Draw a triangle on the top third of your popsicle sticks.
This section of the base will be the elfs hat. This is why it is important that your joining craft sticks are not at the top of your base. Otherwise you’ll end up cutting through the joining stick and the whole base will end up being more unstable.
6. Cut along the lines.
Using scissors is a great way for kids to develop fine motor skills. While older kids will be able to do this step by themselves, young children will find it hard to cut craft sticks and will need an adult to help them.
Paint your Elf
7. Turn your craft stick base over and start painting.
I started by using my white paint pen to draw a row of small triangles along the base of the hat, and roughly 1/3 of the way from the bottom. These are going to be the base of the elf hat, and his shirt collar.
I then used a yellow paint pen to draw a small square in the center bottom of the popsicle stick base. This is the elfs belt buckle, and will need to remain hollow in the middle.
Use a black paint pen, or black marker to draw a belt. I did this by coloring in the center square inside the yellow square and then drawing lines outwards, towards the edges of the base.
Finally, I used a green paint pen to fill in the gaps of the hat and shirt.
8. Make the elf’s face.
Glue two googly eyes to the elfs face and use a black marker to draw a smile.
If you want to turn this little guy into Christmas decorations, simply attach a loop of green string or pipe cleaner to the back of his hat. Then you can hang this cute ornament from the Christmas tree for years to come.
Are you going to make this Popsicle Stick Elf Craft with your kids?
Don’t forget to pin the idea for later.
Over 100 Pages of Christmas themed play based learning activities and craft templates. Perfect for preschool and kindergarteners.
