How to make a plank house with popsicle sticks

Building a plank house out of Popsicle sticks is a fun craft activity for school-aged children and adults alike. It is not difficult to build a simple structure out of Popsicle sticks, though you can add character through paint and other decorations. After you understand how to make a basic Popsicle stick house, it is possible to create a village of houses, shops, and other buildings. Fortunately, you can purchase Popsicle sticks at any craft store so building plank houses does not require you to eat dozens of Popsicles.

Lay down four sets of 11 Popsicle sticks side by side vertically on your work surface. These will become the four walls of the Popsicle stick house. If you wish, you can leave gaps in the middle of the walls, or use half-sized sticks to create windows or doors for the house. Glue one support stick horizontally across the middle of each wall. For walls with windows or doors, glue two support sticks across the top and bottom of the walls instead.

Glue the four walls together, to create an open topped and open bottomed cube. Using hot glue from a glue gun will be the easiest way to attach these small side surfaces, as craft glue takes too long to dry.

Glue together two sticks at a right angle to create a triangle with one open side. Make two of these triangles, and attach them point-up by the two ends to two of the opposing walls. The house should now look like a square building with two A-framed sides.

Lay down two sets of 12 Popsicle sticks side by side vertically on your work surface, just as you did when making the walls. Glue a single support stick across the middle of each set of 12. You now have the two sides of the roof, which you can glue to the A-framed sides to complete the structure.

Decorate the Popsicle stick house if desired. Use glitter, paint, fake flowers, and toy miniatures to make the house come to life.