Sticks. Big or small, thick or thin - every kind imaginable have made their way home with us. I've lost count of the number we've collected over the years.
If I'm totally honest, I hate it when at the end trip we have sticks shoved in every pocket, so much so that I've made made rule that any sticks they want to take home they have to carry.
But as much as they can annoy me, and at times make me a little anxious about their eye-poking potential, we have so much fun with them I'm happy to put up with a collection or two! Anything that gives my children the chance to play and learn is a winner with me.
We have three stick obsessed children, and my hopes that our eldest would grow out of it have been unfounded, so you can only imagine how many swords, wands and dens we've seen 😂 But secretly I love it. There's something so appealing about 'nature's toys', and sticks must be the ultimate.
If you've got a collection at home, I'm going to share 10 of our all time favourite things to do with them! From games to art, they're all really fun and are a great way to be creative with your outdoor play.
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Why we love sticks:
They are free
They are readily available
They can drive imagination
They are open-ended (have no fixed use)
They can be played with in all seasons
The help develop motor skills
They can be recycled once you're done
Our favourite things to do with sticks
There are a million and one things you can do with sticks; here are some of our favourites to get you started.
Stick - tac - toe
Excuse the terrible pun I couldn't resist! Stick-tac-toe is a really easy way to play a game on the run. Just grab some sticks to make a 3x3 frame, choose some natural objects like stones, flowers, leaves, pine cones etc. and have a quick game.
Wands
So much fun running around and seeing the wind blow the ribbons. I like to save ribbons from presents and boxes of chocolates so I don't have to buy any. You could also attach feather, beads, nature finds...
Stick maze
Another great game to play when out and about. The maze can be big or small, and you can take it in turns designing one.
Mini dens
If you've had enough of building full-size dens (if that's that even possible!), why not try making some for toys?
Twisted crowns
Thin green sticks such as willow or jasmine (pictured) can be twisted into a circle; decorated with flowers they make a gorgeous little crown for all those prince and princesses out there.
Transient art
Sticks are great for creating moveable or 'transient' art outdoors. Why not add some to your loose parts collection and see what creations the kids come up with.
Toasting sticks
Who doesn't love toasting marshmallows? For the perfect marshmallow toasting stick, find a long straight stick (around 4 ft), whittle one end to a point, and wrap colourful wool around the other end to make a soft handle.
Nature brushes
Small straight sticks are perfect for making paintbrushes. In the past we have taped some nature finds on (such as feathers and ferns) and made paint from blackberries. We had a great adventure looking for things to use and then made some fun abstract art.
Stick painting
We love painting sticks, it's such a fun way to get creative outdoors, and if you use acrylic paints the colours last a long time in all weathers. A few years ago we painted stripes on giant sticks to make a teepee.
Stick mobile
We've made a few stick mobiles over the years, usually incorporating the odd bead and tying together with wool or yarn.
What's your favourite way to play with sticks? Leave me a comment!
