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Homemade Christmas Decorations: Popstick Wreath

Crafting a new wreath for the front door has become something of a tradition for Immy and I, and this year we made it a full family affair with even AJ helping out! This project uses the simplest of materials – popsticks/craft sticks and glue – and a technique that I shared in my book, Time to Create: Hands On Explorations in Process Art for Young Children.

Family Made Popstick Wreath

You will need:

  • Popsticks/craft sticks
  • White craft glue (PVA), pot for glue and brush
  • A piece of thick box cardboard
  • Non-stick baking/waxed paper
  • Child friendly acrylic paint (or watercolour paint), paint pot and brush
  • Glitter
  • Ribbon for hanging

Christmas ideas: Craftstick Wreath via Childhood 101

1. Prepare a guide for your wreath’s construction by covering a large square of box cardboard with baking/waxed paper and drawing an outline of your wreath. I traced around a large serving platter to make the outer circle and a soup bowl for the inner circle.

Christmas ideas Simple Popstick Wreath

2. Let your child (or children) glue the popsticks together in any arrangement, staying within the guidelines for your wreath. Remind them to brush on plenty of glue wherever two sticks meet so that the completed wreath is nice and strong.

Christmas ideas Simple Homemade Wreath

Once the wreath shape is completely covered set aside to dry.

Christmas ideas Simple Craft Stick Wreath

3. Paint your dried popstick wreath with your choice of base colour. We chose silver to tie in with our overall Christmas brights colour theme. You can also use watercolour paints for a different effect as shown on the Ice-Pop Stick Snowflakes shared in Time to Create (see below).

Snowflake from TIme to Create via Childhood 101

Set aside until paint is dry.

Christmas decoration ideas Simple Craft Stick Wreath

4. Dab on glue and sprinkle on lots of bright, sparkly glitter in your choice of festive colours. Set aside until the glue is dry.

Homemade Christmas Wreath

5. Thread ribbon through an opening at the top of your wreath and tie off for hanging.

Be sure to check out my book Time to Create as a gift idea for those who are interested in creating art with young children.

Time to Create by Christie Burnett

What have you been making with your children in the lead up to Christmas?

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Christie Burnett is an early childhood teacher, presenter, writer and the editor of Childhood 101. More importantly, she is a Mum who believes wholeheartedly in the value of children learning through play, the importance of quality early education, and the togetherness of family.

Read more of Christie's adventures at https://childhood101.com.

Read the comments or scroll down to add your own:

  3. Kate - An Everyday Story says

    December 5, 2013 at 4:18 AM

    Jack and Sarah would really go for this too. They love glue. Oh and for any mama's reading, Christie's book is really wonderful and would make a fabulous Christmas gift for mamas or as part of an art pack for kids. My kids have really enjoyed all the activities in it so far. Highly recommend it. :)

  8. Donna says

    December 8, 2013 at 11:03 PM

    If you do happen to try to make one with watercolor paints, make sure to get some quality ones; we cheaped out on ours for painting coffee filters (that I have instructions for a wreath with) and it did not work at all; just glad I did have some other paint around. We actually were doing catchup and making butterflies but we did make a candy cane wreath for Christmas!

  10. Elise @ Creative Play Central says

    December 15, 2013 at 3:15 PM

    I love that both of your girls had a hand in making your gorgeous wreath. Such a creative idea that would have been a lot of fun to make. My youngest would have went nuts with the glitter. At the moment all of her creations have an "incy twincy sprinkle of glitter" :)

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