Instructions for Building a Popsicle Pirate Ship
- 1). Place 12 Popsicle sticks on a flat surface touching side-by-side. Apply glue to one surface each of two more Popsicle sticks and place one across the top and one across the bottom of the 12 sticks, with glued side down, inside the rounded ends of the 12 sticks. Repeat eight times. Allow the glue to dry and cut off the rounded ends of the floor and wall panels.
- 2). Mark one rounded end on each of two Popsicle sticks at a 145-degree angle, using a protractor, 1/4-inch from the end. Cut off the tips at the angled marks. Lay out nine fresh Popsicle sticks, touching side-by-side. Place the angles of the two cut sticks flush with each other and at the middle of the far left of the nine sticks. The uncut ends should each stop at the upper or lower right corner of the nine sticks, creating a triangle shape. Glue the two sticks into place and allow the glue to dry. Cut off the portions of the nine sticks that are above and below the triangle shape to create the floor panel for the front of the pirate ship.
- 3). Lay out the front floor panel and two more floor panels behind it. Attach the floor panels together by placing a glued Popsicle stick running along each joint. Allow the glue to dry.
- 4). Set the back wall and two rear side walls up at the same time, so they lean on each other and help to hold each other into place. Glue them at the joints with a hot glue gun. Add a Popsicle stick at each joint for reinforcement, if desired. Glue on the middle walls and the walls at the front of the pirate ship.
- 5). Glue a 9-inch drinking straw to the middle of the pirate ship floor. Cut a straw to measure 8 inches and glue it to the center of the floor at the fore, or front, of the ship. Cut a straw to 7 inches and glue it to the center of the floor at the aft, or rear, of the ship. Cut a straw to 6 inches and glue it off the front of the ship at a 45-degree angle.
- 6). Cut a piece of paper to measure 6-by-6-inches. Draw a skull and crossbones design and color as desired. Cover with clear tape to protect it. Fold the flag lengthwise in half and cut slits at the fold, 1 inch from each edge, for the mast to run through. Glue on one Popsicle stick across the top and one across the bottom on the back of the flag, between the slits and the top and bottom edges. Allow the glue to dry and hang the flag on the mast. Attach into place with a dab of hot glue, if necessary. Repeat twice more with a 5-by-5-inch piece of paper to create the fore mast and a 4-by-4-inch paper to create the aft mast.