Popsicle Stick Boat Craft for Kids

Have fun making a popsicle stick boat with or without the peg doll on top. Once finished the kids can play with their homemade craft stick boat in bathtubs, creeks, pools, lakes and even the ocean!

Creating and playing with craft or popsicle stick boats provides children with valuable STEM learning opportunities. From putting them together to navigating one downstream, our family has had a lot of fun experimenting with both making and using popsicle stick boats over the years. We hope you do too!

Related: Shadow Art Outdoor Science

Easy Posicle Stick Boat Craft for Kids

Help the kids make these craft stick boats with or without the peg doll. If you don’t want to include them, skip steps 3 – 6. You can substitute a simple sail in place of the peg doll, or another type of figurine–experiment and have fun!

Craft Stick Peg Doll Boat Materials

Colored craft sticks
Foam counting blocks
Waterproof crafter’s glue that dries clear
Mod podge
Peg dolls – This set includes everything to make this project, DIY Rainbow Peg Dolls, and Butterfly Peg Dolls, and more!]
Watercolor paint
Fine tip black paint pen
Foam Brush

blue craft stick boat with peg doll on top

Related: DIY Rainbow Peg Dolls

How to Make a PoPsicle Stick Boat

Step 1 – Glue foam blocks together

Glue two sets of three blocks together for each boat.
The blocks I used were not an exact square – do your best to match them up so they sit flush.

Step 2 – Glue craft sticks to the foam blocks to make popsicle stick boat

Apply glue across foam blocks.
Place craft sticks across both sets of foam blocks to connect them.
Set aside and allow to dry.

Note: Skip to step 7 if you do not want to put a peg doll on your popsicle stick boat craft.

Step 3 – Paint peg doll bodies

We used the smallest (baby) peg dolls included in the set found in materials above.
Use watercolors straight out of the tube with very little water to match the vibrant craft sticks colors.
Do not paint the neck or head yet, wait for the next step.
Allow to dry – it should only take about 10 – 20 minutes.

Step 4 – Paint peg doll heads

Look at the peg doll and decide what part of the head you want to be the face.
Paint a line from shoulder to shoulder.
Apply paint back of the head.
Clean up the line around the face and paint the neck.

Step 5 – Paint faces on the peg dolls

Use a paint pen to dot a simple face as shown, or get creative and do your own thing.

Step 6 – Glue peg dolls to popsicle stick boat Craft

Place waterproof craft glue on the bottom of peg doll.
Carefully glue to the middle of the boat.

Step 7 – Apply Mod Podge to popsicle stick boat

Mod Podge is a top coat that seals and protects the wood. It is a finishing glue that goes on white and dries clear.
Apply Mod Podge to boat and peg doll – don’t paint the bottom of the foam blocks – only where they connect to the boat.
Make sure you get it into every crack.
Use 2 to 3 coats if you plan to use it in the water.
Allow to dry.

Related: Monarch Butterfly Peg Dolls