This easy-to-make kid’s outdoor camping craft uses sticks from outside to make a charming holder for either a candle or some flowers. This is a great activity for a group.  They are pretty on any table at night or during the day to hold wildflowers.  We have two versions – one for older kids who can handle a glue gun, and one that does not use a glue gun at all.  Try out our other Kidfunideas Camping activities!

​

 What you'll need:

• Standard Canning Jar – without lid

• Plenty of relatively straight sticks

• Garden Pruners

• Hot Glue

• Ruler

• String or Ribbon to tie around the jar

• Small Candle or flowers

Warning:  Hot glue and garden pruners should always be used with adult supervision.

How to make it:

1. Measure the height of your canning jar with a ruler. 

2. Cut all of your sticks to the height of your jar.  Don’t worry if you are off a little with the sticks.  As long as you line up the sticks at the bottom of the jar, it will not affect the sturdiness of the vase.  If you don’t want to use pruners or just don’t have any, break your sticks into the same size pieces.  A little variation in height will not matter.

3. Start with one stick at a time and lay down a thin bead of glue along one of the sticks and hold it on the outside of the jar.  Continue laying sticks side by side all the way around the outside of the jar until you have covered the entire outside.

4. Wrap a piece of ribbon or twine around the outside of your sticks for an added touch.  You are now ready to use your stick vase with some flowers or with a small candle.

Alternate:

If you have kids that cannot use a glue gun, there is an alternate method for making this craft.  You will need:

• Several straight sticks that are the height of the jar

• Heavy-duty rubber band (Like the kind that goes around asparagus)

• Twine or Ribbon

How to make it:

1. Put the rubber band around the midsection of the jar. It should be fairly snug.

2. Insert your sticks between the rubber band and the jar covering the outside of the jar in an upright row of sticks.

3. Wrap your twine or ribbon around the jar covering the rubber band.