Summer has arrived and, in due course, my kids have taken up collecting popsicle sticks again. The collection got started a few years ago, when our kindergarten asked the children to bring in their popsicle sticks for crafting. By now, collecting popsicle sticks has become a habit, and since we never even managed to pass on our collection to the kindergarten the first time around, we usually have an ample supply of popsicle sticks at our home.
So we do our own crafting. Recently, for example, we needed a catapult in order to lay waste to a sand castle. All it took was a dozen popsicle sticks, glue, some rubber bands, and a plastic lid for holding the payload.
Warning: Albeit small, the catapult throws its ball with considerable force. Don’t led children play unattended and make sure that everybody is wearing safety glasses.
Refer to John Austin’s Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction books for alternative catapult designs (and lot’s of other projects Mom probably does not want to know about). Of course, less dangerous ideas for crafting with popsicle sticks can easily be found on the web. Indeed, we have one here on GeekDad: How about building an amazing popsicle-stick bridge? Whatever you chose as your next project: treat you kids to plenty popsicles now that summer is here… but make them collect those popsicle sticks!
