Popsicle Puzzles

This popsicle stick craft is great for stash and go, it will easily fit in a purse or a diaper bag and is great for little hands. During crafting the kids interaction can be limited to picking the picture to be used, or, if you have a little artist, drawing the picture used. Once made, you can use in the car on road trips, at restaurants where you need patience, or really anywhere you want quiet play!

You will need:

* Popsicle sticks, any size will work, just measure based on the picture you use, because you will be covering these the quality of the sticks is less important.

* Hot glue—I used a low heat, but if you are patient, then any glue will work

* Sharp craft knife—Scissors will also work here

* Picture—I used pictures from an old activity book that has long since been completed. If you choose to use a picture that your budding artists drew, make sure they understand you are going to be cutting the picture into pieces, this should be fun, no tears allowed!

Step One:

Lay out your popsicle sticks in a row, try to be as even as possible, but no need to be perfect, this is just to help measure the picture.

Step Two:

Trim picture to fit the size of the popsicle sticks you just laid out, based on the image we need twelve skinny sticks for this picture.

Step Three:

Get to gluing! If you are using a low heat hot glue gun (as I am here) my tip would be to glue on one popsicle stick at a time, as it dries very fast.

Starting to come together! Not perfectly aligned though.

Step Four:

Sit back and admire your superb hot glue gun skills!

Step Five:

Get out that craft knife, cut between each popsicle stick. Note: try to use one smooth motion, a sawing motion will cause the paper to snag and the finished product will be less aesthetically pleasing (to the adults, the kids don’t care).

Viola! The finished product!

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Let's make another one!

Time to test them out!

Bubby likes them, but wanted the sticks to “match”.

Boose, our resident puzzle expert loved them!

When play time is over, grab a small rubber band, the little hair ties or orthodontic rubber bands work well here. Pop them into a sandwich bag and off you go!