Make a Folding Popsicle Stick Fan

So our move is currently underway!  Eeek.  The movers just took away our boxes and we're doing some "urban camping" in our apartment (aka sleeping on air mattresses and living without a tv and toys) for the next week. While this is happening, Chuck and I are still trying to find moments to create.  Today I'm going to share with you a super easy tutorial for a folding popsicle stick fan that we recently made.  Yes.  It really folds.  Pretty neat, right?

Make a Folding Popsicle Stick Fan

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The idea came to me after watching a tv show explaining how women make traditional folding fans in Asia. After the episode ended I knew I had to adapt the steps for a kids' craft.  This fan doesn't open as smoothly as its real counterpart.  But it's still a neat kids' craft because it highlights a traditional art form.   Now let's get making!

Materials Needed to Make Folding Popsicle Fan

• Popsicle Sticks
• Paper Fasteners
• Drill
• Paper
• Pen
• Scissors
• Watercolors
• Crayons
• Scotch tape and Blue Tape

Let's Make a Folding Popsicle Stick Fan

1.  Take 5 or so Popsicle sticks and tape them together.  Then, drill a hole on one end through all the Popsicle sticks. Make sure the hole is big enough for the fastener to go through.

2.  Push a fastener through all the Popsicle Sticks to attach them together.  Then, remove your tape and trim the back of the fastener.

3.  Spread your sticks out like the ribs of a fan so that they are evenly space from one another.

4.  Then, trace out a fan shape around the sticks.  Keep your sticks spread out and remove them from the picture.  Draw in the bottom arc of the fan.  (I found that drawing a higher arc helped the fan to properly open and close.)

5.  Cut out your fan shape and then paint with watercolors or color in with crayons.

6.  Once your paint dries, tape the spread out Popsicle sticks to the back of your fan.  Trim off any excess paper.

7.  Now it's time to do the inaugural folding of the fan.  Very carefully begin folding your paper fan.  Your fold placement will be permanent.  It will also depend on the shape of your fan's bottom arc and the spacing between your sticks.  (As you can see, mine would not fold completely closed.)


8.  Open your fan! (And then close... and then open... and then close.. you get the drift....)

And that's it!  You're done!

Isn't it cool?  Now you've got yourself a fun kid-made craft that's modeled on some traditional crafting practices.  

And if you're looking for other crafts that involve Popsicle sticks, then check these links below!

• Honeycomb Hexagon Wall Art
• Ombre Star Popsicle Stick Banner
• Paper Plate Mask
• Popsicle Stick Bracelet
• DIY Magnetic Fish Game
• Popsicle Dominos
• Double-sided Popsicle Stick Puzzles

And, of course you can always check out my Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter accounts for more fun ideas.

Happy making!