Celebrate Independence Day and several other patriotic holidays by making this popsicle stick flag craft for kids.

Kids love getting creative and making things out of popsicle sticks (also known as craft sticks, treat sticks, or ice cream sticks). No kid’s craft stash is complete without a supply of them!

You can use it for working on fine motor skills and hang it up for a 4th of July holiday decoration when you’re done.

It’s one of our fun and easy Fourth of July craft ideas for kids, but can be made in honor of Memorial Day, Flag Day, and Veterans Day as well. It’s a project that preschoolers can work on as well as kindergarten and up.

Red and white text on light blue background says Popsicle Stick Flag Craft above a small flag made out of painted craft sticks, blue craft foam, and a glittery wooden star.

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Craft Stick Flag Fourth of July Craft

Crafting is such a good activity for children. Work on early math skills by having them count out the number of craft sticks they need.

Painting, gluing, cutting, and tracing all help kids with fine motor development too.

Expand upon this craft stick flag with a unit study on the American flag. It provides an opportunity for children to learn what the stars and stripes represent on the U.S. flag as well as how it has evolved throughout history.

You can use this as a jumping off point to teach about state flags, flags around the world, and early American history.

Crafting while learning about a related topic can help engage kids in the lessons. It can also create associations that help them retain the information.

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Popsicle Stick Flag Craft Supplies

Since the children will be painting, make sure they are wearing an art smock or play clothes that can get paint on them.

Our printable flag craft template will make it easier for kids to trace and cut out the blue section for the flag from craft foam, construction paper, or felt.

It also includes a star shape that you can cut out of foam, paper, or felt if you do not have a wood star. Or you can have kids draw their own stars.

Hand holding a small flag made using craft sticks and made into a hanging decoration using twine and ribbon.

You can use liquid glue, but it will take longer to dry. I love using this tacky craft glue.

A glue gun will make assembly quicker and the finished project more durable. This low temp glue gun is a good option for kids to use with supervision.

Here are all the materials you will need to make your treat stick flag:

Printable Flag Craft Template (enter your email in the form at the bottom of this post)
Jumbo Craft Sticks
Red, White, and Blue Craft Paints
Blue Craft Foam
Wooden Star
Silver Glitter Glue
Assorted Ribbon and Twine (for hanging)
Glue Gun or Liquid Glue
Paintbrush
Scissors
Pencil

How to Make a Popsicle Stick Flag

You will need seven jumbo craft sticks to create the flag and a couple to glue across the back. Start by painting three popsicle sticks white and paint four of them red.

Bottles of red and white paint and paintbrush near jumbo craft sticks. Sticks have been painted and are laid out alternating in red and white like stripes.

Set them aside to dry and apply another coat of paint, if needed. Print out the Flag Craft Template (available at the bottom of this post).

White painted wooden star being covered with a layer of silver glitter glue.

If using a wooden star, paint it white. After it dries, apply a thin layer of silver glitter glue to the star.

If you are not using a wooden star, cut out a star shape to be glued on at a later step.

Line up the painted popsicle sticks, starting with red, and alternating them with the white sticks. Flip them over.

Scissors and hot glue gun sitting behind popsicle sticks arranged together with one glued along the back to hold them together.

Cut the end off of two additional craft sticks so they do not extend beyond the painted ones, and glue them across the back of the painted ones. This will hold them in place.

Another option is to glue the painted craft sticks onto cardstock paper.

Cut out the square star field pattern from our craft template. Trace it on blue craft foam and cut it out.

If you do not have craft foam, you can use blue construction paper, cardstock, or craft felt instead. Another option is to paint the blue section on the assembled popsicle sticks.

Assembled popsicle stick flag with ribbon, twine, and scissors laying along the top, waiting to be attached to the back.

Glue the blue section onto the top left hand corner of the popsicle stick flag. Once dry, glue the star onto the blue section.

If you want to create a hanging decoration, measure and cut baker’s twine, ribbon, and natural jute twine into 12 inch lengths. Flip the flag over and use a glue gun to attach them to the back corners.

Another way to display your preschooler’s creation is to attach a magnet to the back and put it on your refrigerator.

Completed hanging flag craft decoration made from craft sticks. It's leaning against a wood frame prop near a small green plant.

More Popsicle Stick Crafts for Kids

Popsicle Stick Flag Craft for Kids

Yield: 1

This craft stick flag is a fun and easy 4th of July craft for kids to make.

Materials

Printable Flag Craft Template (enter your email in the form at the bottom of this post)
Jumbo Craft Sticks
Red, White, and Blue Craft Paints
Blue Craft Foam
Wooden Star
Silver Glitter Glue
Assorted Ribbon and Twine (for hanging)

Tools

Glue Gun or Liquid Glue
Paintbrush
Scissors
Pencil

Instructions

You will need seven jumbo craft sticks to create the flag and a couple to glue across the back. Start by painting three popsicle sticks white and paint four of them red.
Set them aside to dry and apply another coat of paint, if needed. Print out the Flag Craft Template (available at the bottom of this post).
If using a wooden star, paint it white. After it dries, apply a thin layer of silver glitter glue to the star.
If you are not using a wooden star, cut out a star shape to be glued on at a later step.
Line up the painted popsicle sticks, starting with red, and alternating them with the white sticks. Flip them over.
Cut the end off of two additional craft sticks so they do not extend beyond the painted ones, and glue them across the back of the painted ones. This will hold them in place.
Another option is to glue the painted craft sticks onto cardstock paper.
Cut out the square star field pattern from our craft template. Trace it on blue craft foam and cut it out.
If you do not have craft foam, you can use blue construction paper, cardstock, or craft felt instead. Another option is to paint the blue section on the assembled popsicle sticks.
Glue the blue section onto the top left hand corner of the popsicle stick flag. Once dry, glue the star onto the blue section.
If you want to create a hanging decoration, measure and cut baker’s twine, ribbon, and natural jute twine into 12 inch lengths. Flip the flag over and use a glue gun to attach them to the back corners.
Another way to display your preschooler’s creation is to attach a magnet to the back and put it on your refrigerator.

Notes

You can use liquid craft glue instead of a hot glue gun, but it will take longer to dry. Low temp glue guns are available and a good option when crafting with kids.

Printable Flag Craft Template

Darcy Zalewski

Darcy is the founder of “Life With Darcy and Brian,” where she combines her love for education, board games, and crafting to create engaging learning experiences for kids. Her creative projects and writing have been featured in outlets like The Toy Insider, CafeMom, Mom.com, Parents.com, Country Living, and The Pioneer Woman.