DIY Easy Popsicle Stick Activities for 2-Year-Olds

Ever since my child stepped into toddlerhood, I’ve been on the lookout for open-ended play items that keep her engaged for long periods. Among all the toys and materials we’ve tried, popsicle sticks have become one of our favorites. They’re versatile, cost-effective, and perfect for a range of DIY activities that promote fine motor and cognitive development.

Many of these activities incorporate color learning, shapes, and Montessori principles, making them ideal for mindful and purposeful play. The best part? They’re budget-friendly—you only need some popsicle sticks and basic craft materials to get started!

Here are some of the popsicle stick activities that my toddler loves the most:

Popsicle Puzzle

Print your toddler’s favorite animal figures or objects. Attach a printed image onto a row of popsicle sticks using tape. Use a paper cutter to slice the image into 2-3 pieces, creating a simple puzzle. Repeat this for multiple animal figures or objects.

 Bonus: Download free printable animal figures [here].

Popsicle Color Sorting

Starting around 18 months, toddlers become curious about colors! This simple DIY color-sorting activity is a great way to help them recognize and name colors while strengthening their fine motor skills. Plus, it’s a budget-friendly way to make learning fun at home!

What You’ll Need:

• Colored paper
• Colored fabric pieces (I used grocery bag fabric)
• Glue, scissors, and a ruler
• Colored popsicle sticks

How to Make It:

• Create a color board – Take a sturdy piece of cardboard (42 cm long) and divide it into seven sections, each 6 cm wide. Cover each section with a different colored paper to create a bright, engaging color array.
• Make matching pockets—cut fabric pieces in colors that match each section. Attach them with glue to create small pockets for sorting.
• Time to play!—hand your toddler the colored popsicle sticks and encourage them to match them, inserting them into the correct pockets.

Make It More Fun!

• Name each color as your toddler plays and encourage them to repeat it.
• Turn it into a game by timing how fast they can match all the colors.
• Celebrate every correct match with a cheer or a high-five!

This hands-on activity is a wonderful way to introduce colors through play. Try it today and watch your little one have fun while learning!

Popsicle and Play-Doh

Combine popsicle sticks with Play-Doh for an open-ended activity. Toddlers can use them to create different shapes, build structures, or explore textures.

Why it’s great:

• Develops fine motor skills
• Encourages creativity

Popsicle Construction Activity

Building blocks like Lego sets are fantastic for construction activities. However, you can also include low-cost popsicle sticks in your toddler’s playtime. They offer a budget-friendly alternative while serving the same purpose. Popsicle sticks are an excellent resource for fostering creativity and hands-on play. Here are a few ideas to spark your toddler’s imagination and encourage them to build something amazing.

Popsicle-Posting

This activity is perfect for toddlers 15 months and older.

How to make it:

1. Grab a cardboard box and decorate it with colored arrays.
2. Cut slits into the box that match the size of the popsicle sticks.
3. Place the sticks and box side by side on a shelf.

Your toddler will enjoy posting the sticks through the slits repeatedly!

Popsicle Counting

Use paper cups and popsicle sticks for a fun counting activity.

How to make it:

1. Label cups with numbers (1 to 10).
2. Add slits to the bottom of each cup, equal to the number marked.
3. Encourage your toddler to match the number of popsicle sticks to the cup.

This helps toddlers associate numbers with quantities and introduces counting.

Shape Matching

Introduce your toddler to basic shapes using popsicle sticks.

What you need:

• Printable shapes to match with popsicle sticks
• Popsicle sticks as outlines or holders

 Bonus: Get free shape-matching printables [here].

Popsicle Alphabet Activities

Similar to shape matching, you can introduce alphabet recognition.

How to make it:

• Create alphabet cards or print free alphabet matching templates.
• Attach the cards to popsicle sticks for matching activities.

 Bonus: Download free alphabet printables [here].

Popsicle with Elastic Band Activity

Create a DIY elastic pegboard with popsicle sticks as pegs.

How to make it:

1. Glue popsicle sticks into a baseboard as “pegs.”
2. Provide elastic bands for your toddler to stretch and attach between the sticks.

This activity enhances:

• Fine motor skills
• Hand-eye coordination
• Problem-solving abilities

Popsicle Stamp

Popsicle stamps are fun for both Play-Doh and paint activities.

What you need:

• Print simple stamp shapes
• Attach them to popsicle sticks for easy stamping

 Bonus: Get free stamp printables [here].

Popsicle stick activities are an amazing way to foster creativity, fine motor skills, and cognitive development in toddlers—all while keeping playtime budget-friendly. Whether it’s puzzles, sorting, or construction, these ideas are sure to keep your little one engaged and learning!

Remember that your toddler may not like all of these activities—mine didn’t either. For example, she didn’t enjoy puzzle matching; she didn’t quite understand the concept of matching pieces to create a whole picture when she was 21 months old. However, Montessori is all about following your child’s interests, and you’ll eventually discover which activities truly engage and benefit them.

Which activity will you try first? Let me know your thoughts or share your popsicle stick DIY ideas below!