Popsicle Stick Christmas Tree Ornaments Kids Can Make

Your child paints craft sticks green, lines them up into a triangle, and glues the corners together. Decorate with pom poms, buttons, or glitter glue, top it with a star, and tie on a ribbon hanger. The ornament dries in about an hour and hangs on the tree for years. Kids ages 3 and up make this with a grown-up.

• Age: 3 and up with a grown-up; kids 6 and up can glue on their own
• Time: 30 to 45 minutes, plus about an hour of drying time
• Mess level: low; paint and glue on a covered table

What Do You Need for Popsicle Stick Tree Ornaments?

You need craft sticks, green paint, glue, and decorations. The whole supply list costs a few dollars, and most of it sits in a craft drawer.

• 4 to 6 craft sticks per tree (3 for the triangle, 1 short one for the trunk, extras in case one snaps)
• Green washable paint
• Paintbrush
• Tacky craft glue or a low-temperature glue gun (grown-up only)
• Small pom poms, buttons, or beads
• Glitter glue or a star sticker for the treetop
• Ribbon, twine, or yarn for the hanger
• Newspaper or a paper plate for the work mat

Jumbo sticks make chunkier ornaments that hold more decorations. Regular sticks make dainty trees that fit on small branches. Both work with the same steps.

How Do You Make a Popsicle Stick Christmas Tree?

You paint the sticks, build a triangle, add a trunk, and decorate it. The painting takes the most time; the building takes the least.

1. Cover the table with newspaper. Squeeze a puddle of green paint onto a paper plate.
2. Paint 3 craft sticks green on both sides. One thick coat works. A second coat hides streaks after the first coat dries, about 10 minutes later.
3. Cut one stick down to about 2 inches for the trunk. A grown-up does this step, or you can use a pre-cut mini stick. Paint it brown or leave it plain.
4. Lay two green sticks into a V shape on the table. Run a line of tacky glue along the top point and press the ends together. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
5. Lay the third stick flat across the bottom of the V to close the triangle. Glue both ends and hold.
6. Glue the short brown stick upright behind the center of the bottom bar so it pokes out below like a trunk.
7. Decorate the tree. Dot glue down the sticks and press on pom poms or buttons. Pipe glitter glue in zigzags for garland.
8. Top the tree with a star sticker or a paper star dabbed with glue.
9. Loop a 6-inch piece of ribbon through the top joint, tie a knot, and dab the knot with glue so it cannot slip.
10. Lay the tree flat and let it dry for about an hour before it goes on the tree.

Write the year on the back with a marker while the glue dries. Grandparents love a dated ornament, and next December you will smile when you unwrap it again. Hang the first tree where your child can see it. Kids check on their own ornaments every morning.

What Can Go Wrong with Popsicle Stick Ornaments?

Paint streaks look bad: craft sticks soak up paint, and one coat dries patchy. Wait 10 minutes and add a second coat. The color turns solid.

Triangle joints pop loose: tacky glue needs real pressure to grab. Press each joint and count to 30. Clip a clothespin over the joint while it sets. A grown-up can swap in a low-temperature glue gun for an instant hold.

Paint cracks around the joints: the tree flexes when a child picks it up too soon. Leave it flat for the full hour. The paint survives a gentle hang after that.

Your child wants a different shape: the same steps build a star (5 sticks), a candy cane (red and white painted sticks), or a reindeer (brown sticks with pipe-cleaner antlers). Let the triangle be the first one, then hand over the design choices.

What Other Christmas Crafts Can You Try Next?

One ornament never feels like enough. Make paper plate Santa faces to hang beside the trees, turn handprints into reindeer handprint art, roll up toilet paper roll Christmas characters, or string a paper chain Christmas countdown garland. For a keepsake-style ornament with a grown-up at the oven, try our shrink art Christmas ornaments.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What age can make these ornaments?

Ages 3 and up with a grown-up beside them. Kids 6 and up can handle the glue steps on their own. The painting suits even the youngest crafters.

How messy is this craft?

The mess stays small. Washable paint rinses off skin, and the newspaper catches the drips. You wrap the whole cleanup in five minutes.

How long does it take?

You spend 30 to 45 minutes painting, gluing, and decorating. The glue needs about an hour to dry flat before the ornament hangs.

Is it safe?

Yes. Use washable paint and tacky glue for young kids. A glue gun stays in grown-up hands only. Small buttons and beads stay off the table while toddlers are in the room.

Be safe and have fun!