INSPIRATIONS - Sticks

A multitude of stick activities to browse for inspiration.

Introduction

A stick is a wonderful open-ended natural resource; it can be used in a myriad of ways! Give a child a stick and see what it becomes; a tool, a communication device, a building material, an animal…. the list is endless. In this activity we have provided a few ideas to get you started.

* Muddy Faces actively promotes child-led outdoor play & learning (see the intro. to our Outdoor Play section for more on this). We recognise and believe in the curiosity that children have and their drive to explore and discover. We hope that you will bear this in mind when considering more prescribed activities like this one – often much more creative ideas will occur if resources are simply provided and children are given the time and space to explore independently.

What you'll need

sticks (funnily enough!)

This activity has been provided by

Useful items from our shop

Item available from our shop

Environmental Considerations

Consider the environmental impact of preparing, carrying out & completing this activity. Could this impact be reduced? Specific considerations for this activity could include:

collecting natural materials
use dead wood

Health & Safety Considerations

Follow your usual operating procedures and carry out appropriate risk benefit assessments.
Some considerations particular to this activity include:

discuss keeping sticks away from faces
if you are carrying a big stick keep one end in your hand/arm and the other down on the ground
or if you are carrying a big stick ask a friend to hold the other end – both ways avoid hitting someone else
tool use if whittling

Start with a simple chat about a stick.....

Go find a stick; come back together in a circle and ask children to:

take it in turns to say something about their stick
talk to their neighbour and compare sticks (length/texture/from what tree/features etc.) and share response
discuss what they could use their stick for?

STICK ART & CRAFT

clay creature with small sticks as body features

selection of pebbles in stick nest to look like eggs

Magic woodland wands

Perfect for supporting children's imaginative play in the woods! Create a magical experience by gathering natural materials and create your very own wand.

STICK GAMES

Stick dot-to-dot

Dot-to-dot using sticks and flowers on the grass

Tic tac toe

Hopscotch

Limbo

'Sticktionary' !

Two children making a boat shape out of sticks

simple stick maths

Matching Pairs

two children comparing sticks they have found in the woods

Symmetry

symmetrical pattern using stick laid on ground

Stick Tally

Make a 1 Sq m maths set

A simple activity exploring length in a hands-on way using natural resources.

Stick Literacy

Making charcoal

How to make charcoal from pieces of willow.

A few more simple stick ideas…

Noisy sticks - Hit different size trees with a stick – what different sounds can you make?
stick ramps - find 2 long straight sticks and see if you can roll a ball down
and don't forget pooh sticks!

Disclaimer: Muddy Faces cannot take any responsibility for accidents or damage that occurs as a result of following this activity.You are responsible for making sure the activity is conducted safely.