Difficulty: Beginner
Looking for a Christmas craft for your kids? Try making this nativity out of popsicle sticks and clothes pins. You can prep all of the pieces ahead of time so that all they have to do is assemble.
Stop by the Dollar Tree or a craft store to pick up all of your supplies and make this craft with your kids today.
Supplies:
Popsicle sticks (about 35)
Clothes pins (4)
Mini clothes pin (1)
Glue gun or craft glue
Line up 12 popsicle sticks side by side and glue them together by running a line of glue down the length of another popsicle stick and attaching to the top of the 12 popsicle sticks.
Repeat with another popsicle stick on the bottom.
Arrange another 12 popsicle sticks side by side and draw a slanted line from the bottom left toward the top right. You can use another popsicle as your straight edge.
Cut each popsicle stick on the mark that you just made and snap loose by bending on the cut line.
Line the cut edges up even with each other and glue a popsicle stick along the cut edge. Glue another popsicle stick along the slanted edge. Glue one popsicle stick down the middle for extra support.
Take 2 clothes pins and pull them apart.
Put a bead of glue on either end of a popsicle stick and attach half a clothes pin to each bead of glue.
Put a bead of glue on the end of a popsicle stick and in the middle. Attach the end to the side of the clothes pin half that is already attached to a popsicle stick and attach another clothes pin half to the other bead of glue.
Put glue on the bottom of the clothes pin halves and glue to the popsicle stick base.
Put glue on the top of the clothes pin halves and place the roof on top.
Cut 2 popsicle sticks in half and glue the 4 pieces side by side (manger) on the base toward the front.
Glue 2 upright clothes pins (Mary and Joseph) behind the manger under the roof.
Glue the mini clothes pin (baby Jesus) on top of the 4 cut popsicle sticks (manger).
Pull off any spider webs of glue if using a glue gun. Let dry if using craft glue.
You can draw faces or clothes on the clothes pins or leave them plain like I did.
All of my kids were impressed with this craft project and 3 of the 4 knew what it was. Not too bad!
Try this project today or save for next year. It would be a great craft for Sunday school or CCD.
Give it a try and let me know what you think.