Learn how to make a Craft Stick Crab Kids Craft with just a few simple supplies. Jumbo wooden craft sticks from Dollar Tree, along with paint and felt, transform into an adorable crab just in time for Summer!
Read on below, and download the free printable patterns to see how easy this craft is to make with your kids. Also, be sure to check out all of our Dollar Tree Crafts for even more ideas!
Popsicle sticks are available to buy at Dollar Tree in assorted sizes and colors. Our project today uses jumbo craft sticks and regular craft sticks.
Wooden craft sticks are inexpensive, versatile, and durable for crafting with the kids. We always keep a variety on hand to use when we are feeling crafty.
Popsicle Stick Crab
This simple project is perfect for a rainy day, a beach-themed unit, or any time your little ones are feeling creative.
Explore more exciting projects that bring the wonders of the sea to life and keep those little hands busy and engaged.
Bring a piece of the ocean to life with a fun and easy crab craft! Kids will love painting the craft sticks and assembling the crab to create a masterpiece.
This post contains affiliate links. Using links to these sites means I will earn a percentage of the purchase at no extra cost to you.
Crab Kids Craft Supplies
- Jumbo Craft Sticks – Dollar Tree
- Regular Craft Sticks – Dollar Tree
- Wiggle Eyes – Dollar Tree
- Chenille Stems, Red – Dollar Tree
- Kunin Classic Felt 9” by 12” Craft Cuts – Red, Pink
- DecoArt Americana Acrylic Craft Paint – Country Red
- Glue Gun and Glue Sticks – Dollar Tree
- Basecoat Paintbrush Set – DecoArt
- Scissors – I love my Fiskars!
- MONO Twin Permanent Marker, Black – Tombow
- CRAB PATTERNS –download at the bottom of this post ⤋
NOTE: To download the free pattern for this craft, scroll to the bottom of this post to the DOWNLOAD HERE box, complete the info, and the pattern will be emailed.
Popsicle Stick Crab Craft Directions
Gather all supplies. To create the crab, line up five jumbo craft sticks on your work surface. Using scissors, trim additional jumbo craft sticks to the width of the crab and attach with a glue gun and glue sticks. Cut a regular craft stick in half with scissors and glue it to the top of the crab for the eyes.
TIP: You can use liquid craft glue for this project, but then add additional drying time.
Basecoat the crab with Country Red acrylic craft paint. Paint two additional regular craft sticks with red acrylic craft paint (we will use these during the assembly process). Let dry, and apply a second coat, if necessary. Use washable markers, crayon, or even colored pencil to color the craft sticks.
Download, print, and cut out the CRAB PATTERNS from the bottom of this post. Trace the crab claws twice onto Red Kunin Classic Felt.
Cut out the pincher claw patterns with scissors. Make sure to cut inside the traced lines so you end up with a clean finished project.
Attach the red craft sticks to the back of the pincher claws with a glue gun and glue sticks. Make sure that there is a right claw and a left claw.
Glue the pincher claws onto the right and left sides of the crab’s body. The craft sticks will support the crab claws.
Cut two red chenille stems in half with scissors. Cut those halves in half again, so there are eight short pieces of chenille stem total.
Attach four chenille stems to the right and left sides of the crab’s body with a glue gun and glue sticks. Bend the top two crab legs up and bend the bottom two crab legs down.
Attach two wiggle eyes with a glue gun and glue sticks. Cut out two circles from Pink Kunin Classic Felt and glue them to either side of the crab’s eyes for the cheeks. You can also use pink paint and a sponge dabber to make the cheeks.
To finish, draw a smile from cheek to cheek with the MONO Twin permanent black marker.
Easy Crab Kids Craft
Create this bright and colorful Dollar Tree Craft Stick Crab with the kiddos to not only promote learning skills, but also to spark conversations about ocean animals.
Using simple supplies from the Dollar Tree, create this quick and easy Popsicle Stick Crab with the kiddos in just 30 minutes.
Don’t you love this craft? It’s a quick and easy project, and your kids can enjoy hours of creative play with their finished groundhog. Check out our other popsicle stick crafts for even more fun!
More Animal Crafts
My crafty bestie Laura at Laura Kelly Designs has created this adorable sea turtle kid craft with popsicle sticks to celebrate one of her favorite creatures from the ocean. Sea turtles are fascinating creatures. There are several different species. One of my favorite species is the loggerhead.
Create a leaping cute Dollar Tree Clay Pot Frog with limited supplies in just about 30 minutes. A simple mini clay pot from Dollar Tree along with paint, wiggle eyes, and foam balls transforms into a friendly frog just in time for the summer garden season.
Y'all know that I love to upcycle and recycle EVERYTHING, so I am excited to share an Easy Ocean Animal Sensory Bottle with a Free Printable Word Search. Something new around here is the word search puzzle with fun doodled ocean creatures.
Enjoy these Free Printable Animal Masks of a Dog, a Cat, and a Frog to color with the kiddos. Imaginative play is so important for a child's development and what better way than to download, print, and color this trio of fun animals.
Kids Craft eBooks
Digital craft ebooks we've created with quick and easy projects in mind! Inside each ebook, you’ll discover 12 super easy kids crafts, with a monthly theme so you can create all year long. Plus, we’ve included printable patterns to make your crafting experience effortless.
Additional Popsicle Stick Crafts
Create a Craft Stick Shark Dollar Tree Kids Craft with simple supplies in about 30 minutes. Popsicle sticks from Dollar Tree are the perfect medium to get crafty with kiddos of all ages.
Create a set of quick and easy Craft Stick Farm Animals with the kiddos in just about 30 minutes using simple supplies from Dollar Tree. Jumbo popsicle sticks, paint, and wiggle eyes transform into a horse, cow, chicken, and pig with help from the kiddos.
Create this quick and easy Craft Stick Baby Yoda with the kiddos in just 30 minutes, using simple supplies from Dollar Tree. Grogu is one of the main characters from the Mandalorian which is a Star Wars spin off.
If you LOVE it, please PIN it!
Are you too busy to make this Dollar Tree Popsicle Stick right now? Pin it for later! I'd love for you to pin this project to your favorite craft board on Pinterest, and then it’ll be waiting for you when you’re ready.
Share with Us
I'd love to hear what you think about this project or if you want to know more about Dollar Tree crafts. If you've made your own craft stick projects, I would love to see your creations! Share them on Instagram and Facebook, or leave a comment/photo on the project pin on Pinterest! #CreativelyBeth
Popsicle Stick Crab Kids Craft
Create an adorable Crab Kids Craft from wooden popsicle sticks and a few simple supplies from Dollar Tree in about 30 minutes.
Materials
- Craft Sticks, Jumbo
- Craft Sticks, Regular
- Wiggle Eyes
- Craft Felt – Red, Pink
- Chenille Stems - Red
- Marker, Black
- Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
- Acrylic Craft Paint – Red
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
- CRAB PATTERNS - download below
Instructions
- Line up five jumbo craft sticks on your work surface. Using scissors, trim additional jumbo craft sticks to the width of the crab and attach with a glue gun and glue sticks. Cut a regular craft stick in half with scissors and glue it to the top of the crab.
- Basecoat the crab with red acrylic craft paint. Paint two regular craft sticks with red acrylic craft paint. Let dry.
- Download, print, and cut out the crab patterns. Trace the pincher claws twice onto red craft felt.
- Cut out the pincher claw patterns with scissors.
- Attach the red craft sticks to the back of the pincher claws with a glue gun and glue sticks.
- Glue the pincher claws onto the right and left sides of the crab’s body.
- Cut two red chenille stems in half with scissors. Cut those halves in half again, so there are eight short pieces.
- Attach four chenille stems to the right and left sides of the crab’s body with a glue gun and glue sticks. Bend the top two crab legs up and bend the bottom two crab legs down.
- Attach two wiggle eyes with a glue gun and glue sticks. Cut out two circles from pink craft felt and glue them to either side of the crab’s eyes for the cheeks.
- To finish, draw a smile from cheek to cheek with a black marker.
Download Crab Patterns HERE
Thanks for stopping by!
