Manger Popsicle Stick Craft: A Simple and Meaningful Christmas Keepsake
One of the most beautiful ways to help children understand the true meaning of Christmas is to let them create something with their hands. This Manger Popsicle Stick Craft is the perfect way to do just that. It’s simple enough for young learners, full of opportunities for creativity, and carries a message that goes straight to the heart — the humble birth of baby Jesus.
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This craft transforms basic materials into a touching little nativity scene that reminds children of the story behind Christmas morning. With just a few popsicle sticks, paper, glue, and yarn, children can build their own manger and hang a shining star above it — just like the one that led the shepherds and wise men to Bethlehem. It’s a project that feels peaceful and purposeful, making it a wonderful addition to Sunday school lessons, Christian classrooms, or family Christmas traditions at home.
To create your own Manger Popsicle Stick Craft, you’ll need:
- Popsicle sticks
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Yarn
If you’d like, you can also add small extras such as raffia or shredded paper for “hay,” a bit of gold glitter for the star, or even a paper baby Jesus wrapped in white tissue or fabric to tuck inside. But even without those additions, this craft tells the story beautifully.
How To Make The Manager Popsicle Stick Craft
Begin by building the stable — the little wooden shelter where baby Jesus was born. Use popsicle sticks to assemble a simple house shape, gluing two together at the top to form a roof and attaching more sticks for the walls and base. You can follow a template or simply use the photo for inspiration. The shape doesn’t need to be perfect; part of the charm of this craft is how each child’s manger turns out slightly different, just like the unique handmade stables we imagine from that first Christmas night.
Once the stable is assembled and the glue has had a minute to dry, it’s time to add the star. Cut a small star from yellow or gold construction paper — or if you have metallic paper, even better. This star represents the Star of Bethlehem, which shone brightly in the night sky and guided everyone to where baby Jesus lay. Glue one end of a short piece of yarn to the back of the star and the other end to the top center of the manger so the star dangles down slightly in the middle. As children attach their stars, you can talk about how it symbolizes hope and light — a reminder that even in the darkest night, the world was given a Savior.
Next, it’s time to create the hay for the manger. Cut strips of light and dark brown construction paper into thin pieces. These will become the bedding where baby Jesus rests. Encourage children to mix the shades together — the variety of colors gives the hay a more realistic texture and depth. Once the strips are ready, glue them along the bottom of the manger inside the popsicle stick frame. The effect is simple but lovely, giving the sense of a warm, rustic place prepared for the newborn King.
If you’d like to extend the craft a little further, this is the perfect time to add baby Jesus. A small oval or circle of construction paper can represent his face, wrapped in a strip of white or cream paper for the swaddle. Older children can even draw the details of the baby, while younger ones might just glue the paper shape into the hay. It’s a tender touch that brings the story to life.
At this point, your manger scene will already look beautiful — a tiny handmade reminder of that special night in Bethlehem. If you want to add more details, children can draw or cut out Mary, Joseph, or animals to glue beside the manger. A touch of gold glitter on the star adds sparkle, and a loop of yarn at the top turns the whole piece into a Christmas ornament. Every version turns out a little different, and each one feels full of heart.
While children are working, this craft opens up natural opportunities to talk about the nativity story. You can share how Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem, how there was no room in the inn, and how baby Jesus was born in a humble stable. You can read from The Christmas Story by Patricia A. Pingry or The First Christmas Night by Keith Christopher as the children work, letting the story unfold as they build their manger scenes. It’s a gentle, hands-on way to connect art and faith in a way that children will remember.
Why parents and teachers love this manger popsicle stick craft
For teachers, this project also supports important skills while nurturing creativity. Building with popsicle sticks encourages fine motor coordination, cutting and gluing strengthen hand control, and sequencing the steps builds focus and comprehension. It’s a peaceful, purposeful activity that fits beautifully into the rhythm of December lessons — especially when you want to bring calm, meaningful creativity into the classroom.
At home, this craft can easily become part of your family’s holiday traditions. You might make it while listening to Christmas music or as part of an Advent devotion. Each year, children can create a new manger to add to your decorations or give as a heartfelt handmade gift to grandparents or friends. You can even write the year on the back so it becomes a keepsake to look back on in the future — a reminder of the Christmases when little hands created something with big love.
From a practical perspective, this craft is wonderfully simple and affordable. Popsicle sticks and construction paper are staples in most homes and classrooms, and the rest — glue, yarn, scissors — are things you likely already have on hand. Cleanup is minimal, and setup takes just a few minutes. It’s the kind of craft that fills time meaningfully while creating something truly special.
A meaningful keepsake for the holiday season
Once finished, display the mangers where everyone can see them. Hang them on the wall, line them up on a shelf, or add them to a classroom display titled “Jesus is the Reason for the Season.” The sight of all those handmade stables, each with its little star shining above, makes a beautiful, heartwarming reminder of the story at the center of Christmas.
The Manger Popsicle Stick Craft isn’t just a fun holiday project — it’s a way to bring the nativity story to life through simple materials and heartfelt creativity. It invites children to imagine the quiet night when hope was born, and to take pride in creating something that celebrates love, faith, and light.
So gather your popsicle sticks, cut out those stars, and let your little ones build their own manger scenes. As they glue and assemble, they’ll be doing more than making a craft — they’ll be building a lasting connection to the story that makes Christmas truly special.
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