Grinch Popsicle Stick Craft: A Whoville-Worthy Holiday Activity for Kids

When December rolls around, few Christmas characters capture the classroom like the Grinch! With his sneaky grin and eventual heartwarming transformation, he’s the perfect way to teach kindness, emotion, and empathy during the holiday season. This Grinch Popsicle Stick Craft is a fun, easy, and mess-friendly art activity that pairs perfectly with the classic story How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss.

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Whether you’re planning a Grinch Day at school, a classroom Christmas party, or a cozy winter craft at home, this simple activity is sure to make hearts grow three sizes.

Book Connection: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss

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There’s no better book tie-in than Dr. Seuss’s beloved holiday story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! This timeless tale reminds children that Christmas isn’t about the gifts—it’s about love, kindness, and community.

Before starting the craft, gather your students for a read-aloud session. Encourage them to pay attention to the Grinch’s expressions throughout the story—his sneaky eyes, his big grin, and how his face changes when his heart grows at the end. These details help them bring that personality into their popsicle stick Grinch.

Discussion ideas before crafting:

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  • How do you think the Grinch felt at the beginning of the story?
  • What changed his mind about Christmas?
  • How do you show kindness to others during the holidays?

Craft Time: Make Your Own Grinch Popsicle Stick Craft

Recommended Age: Preschool and up
Time: 20–30 minutes (plus drying time)
Difficulty: Easy

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Materials:
5 popsicle sticks
Green paint
Construction paper (red, white, and black)
Scissors
Glue
Black marker
Yellow colored pencil or crayon
Grinch Hat Template (included in your printable resource)

Instructions:

1. Paint the Popsicle Sticks: Begin by painting five popsicle sticks bright green. Set them aside to dry completely.

2. Create the Grinch Face: Once dry, line up the five sticks side by side and glue them together to form the Grinch’s face.

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3. Draw the Grinch’s Expression: Using a black marker, draw his mischievous grin and slanted eyes. Then color the eyes yellow to match the Grinch’s iconic look.

popsicle sticks glued together and painted green with a grinch face and a red santa hat Save

4. Make the Hat: Use the provided hat template to trace and cut out the Grinch’s Santa hat on red construction paper. Outline it with a marker for a bold finish.

popsicle sticks glued together and painted green with a grinch face and a red santa hat Save

5. Add the Trim: Cut and glue the white “cloud-like” trim piece (also from the template) along the base of the hat.

6. Attach the Hat: Glue the hat onto the top of the popsicle stick Grinch.

7. Optional: Add a cotton ball or white pom-pom to the end of the hat for a fluffy finishing touch.

This craft gives kids the chance to express creativity while reinforcing fine motor skills like cutting, gluing, and coloring.

Learning Connections

Even simple crafts can support early learning in meaningful ways. Here are a few ideas to extend the fun and make it educational:

Literacy Extension
After reading How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, invite students to write or dictate a short response to one of these prompts:

  • What made the Grinch’s heart grow?
  • If I met the Grinch, I would tell him…
  • My favorite part of Christmas is…

You can display their writing alongside their Grinch crafts for a cheerful holiday bulletin board titled “Our Hearts Grew Three Sizes.”

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SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) Connection
Talk about emotions and empathy by comparing the Grinch’s feelings before and after he meets the Whos.
Have students draw two faces—one Grinch before Christmas and one Grinch after. Discuss how helping others or being kind can make our hearts grow, too.

Fine Motor Skills
Cutting templates, painting, and gluing small pieces all help strengthen fine motor control—skills that are essential for handwriting readiness and coordination.

Math Integration
Turn this craft into a counting activity. Younger children can count the popsicle sticks as they glue them, or older students can measure and compare the stick lengths and spacing.

Display Ideas

Once your students have finished their Grinch creations, you can:

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  • Hang them on a “Grinchy Gallery Wall” with paper hearts that say kind things your students have done.
  • Add a cotton ball snow border around a bulletin board display for a wintery Whoville vibe.
  • String them up on a classroom garland to decorate for a Grinch-themed holiday party.

Grinch Day

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If your school celebrates Grinch Day, this craft makes the perfect addition to your themed centers or party stations. Pair it with green snacks, “Grinch slime,” or a kindness activity where students brainstorm ways to make someone’s day a little brighter.

This easy Grinch Popsicle Stick Craft brings the holiday spirit alive while teaching an important lesson about kindness and community—one that lasts far beyond December.

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