How Make the Perfect Puzzle with Craft Sticks

Use your child’s original artwork to make a puzzle with craft sticks.

Gather these supplies:

• Craft sticks or popsicle sticks
• Drawing paper
• Markers, crayons, colored pencils or paints
• White glue
• Paint brush
• Craft knife

Let’s make a craft stick puzzle:

1. Lay out and measure the craft sticks. You can make the puzzle as wide as you like by adding more craft sticks. The height will be determined by the length of the craft sticks.
2. Using the measurements from the previous step, outline a guide on the drawing paper.
3. Draw the puzzle image inside the drawing guide. Encourage your young artist to use the entire area.
4. Trim the drawing to size.
5. Lay out the craft sticks as in Step 1.
6. Paint a thin layer of glue on the back of the picture, and glue to the craft sticks. Let the glue dry thoroughly.
7. For a two-sided puzzle, repeat steps 2 through 6. Hint: To make solving the puzzles easier, draw completely different pictures using different color palettes.
8. Using a craft knife, cut the sticks apart.

This technique can be used to create a greeting card or party invitation.

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