With 4th of July nearly upon us again, I decided to make Popsicle Stick Fireworks. They are super easy to make, and super cute too. But they do require during time in between each step, so you will want to either plan a head and do some steps before hand or give your kiddo a heads up that this project may take a couple of afternoons to complete.
As a returning Popsicle Ambassador, we eat a lot of Popsicles in our house especially in the summer months – a lot. For every Popsicle (and Fudgsicle – my current favorite frozen treat) I wash and save the sticks for future craft projects. Why buy sticks when you can upcycle the ones you already have? It is better for the planet and your wallet!
As you can imagine we have a lot of sticks, so I am constantly designing new projects for my daughter to use them. Last 4th of July we made Popsicle Stick Flags and recently we made Popsicle Stick Picture Frames.
Popsicle Stick Fireworks
Materials
- Popsicle Sticks (3 per firework)
- Paint (I like Crayola Washable Paint)
- Glitter
- Glue (I like Elmer’s School Glue)
- Red White Baker’s Twine
- Paint brush and small cup
The first step is to paint the Popsicle sticks anyway you like. If you plan to hang your fireworks, it is necessary to paint both sides of each stick. (Plan for drying time in between.)
Tip – I like to cut up old boxes to use as my painting matt. In this case, I used an empty granola bar box. It makes for easy clean up.
Once the paint is dry (on both sides), it is time to apply the glitter for some sparkle. Combine one part glue and one part water in a small dish and mix well. (It doesn’t take much glue. I used a dollop about the size of a quarter.) Sprinkle in glitter, mix and paint onto the sticks. The mixture will go on cloudy, don’t worry it will dry clear. (Again, both sides if you plan to hang.)
Yes, you could also smear on glue and sprinkle glitter directly on the sticks, but this method adheres the glitter to the sticks better preventing the typical glitter shed.
Tip – Baby food jars are perfect for mixing glue and glitter.
Finally, attach the sticks in a firework burst with more glue, allow to dry and hang.
Ta-da 4th of July Fireworks!
This summer, I will post more craft and party ideas about how you can incorporate Popsicles into your life. In the mean time, start saving your Popsicle sticks.