Ribbon Sticks
I’m not exactly sure who came up with the idea of ribbon sticks. Red Ribbon Dances were performed for Chinese Royalty thousands of years ago, but I suspect ribbon sticks have a heritage in more than one culture. Ribbon dancing still has a place today in contemporary gymnastics.
Wherever they have come from, there is something beautiful and creative about playing with ribbon sticks. At a time when hi-tech toys rule the toybox, it’s delightful to see children playing with such a simple object.
Step 1: Collect a bunch of ribbons.
Step 2: Tie the bunch with a piece of ribbon. Leave long ends on the tying ribbon.
Step 3: Wrap the tying ribbon ends around the stick, securing the bunch to the stick.
Step 4: Play. Dance. Swoosh. Twirl. Dream. Fly.
Have you made ribbon sticks with your children? I know the Irresistible Ideas ladies have made them with their preschoolers. I’d love to hear if you have too! Do you prefer them inside, or out? Do your children dance with or without music?
I made these with the kids at our Playgroup last year. But we did a super easy budget friendly option. One sheet of A4 paper, fold in half lengthways, open out again and stick a piece of ribbon (about 60cm) along the top end of the crease. Fold the paper in half again, roll up tight and finish with sticky tape. The kids loved it!
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P.S. Thanks for the awesome link @ Irresistible Ideas!!
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I’ve made these with my sons before, though we used sticks we gathered first on a nature walk. It was so simple & a huge hit! Here’s a link to my post about it: http://goexplorenature.blogspot.com/2010/08/fun-friday-wind-streamers.html
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Fun!
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Lovely. I must make these for my girls. Thanks for the reminder.
Stopping by from Let the Children Play. I just loved the images of your yard!
Think I am going to give this a go next week when there is money in the bank again. Might be something nice and quiet to make (then fun to play with) on our one weekday off from Kinder/classes. Dreading the busy-ness of this year.
These look so fun! We’ve never done ribbon sticks, but my kids love running outdoors with sheer fabric pieces… they can be capes, they can be wings, magic carpets, shields … you can drape them over your head to spy on the birds (!). I love simple, Waldorf-esque “toys”… what a gift to give your kids – imaginative play
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We didn’t spend a cent on ours Amanda. All ribbons used here are old ones from the busy-box. You could use strips of fabric, wool, or even paper. We happened to have the dowel on hand left over from something else, but if not I would have just used sticks from the backyard!
I love ribbons, I collect them from presents and cutting the little strap you get on shirts when you hang them on a coat hanger… they may be thin, but put a bunch together and you have a great ribbon stick. Another great post SquiggleMum.
Oh yes, my girls love ribbon sticks. My Mum gave them ones with long rainbow streamers that she bought for $2 from the local jumble shop and they lasted 6 months before the dogs chewed them up. We made our own after that from craft box scraps and old bits of dowling. A hugely fun activity!
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We gave one to Miss 2 for Christmas and she ADORES it!! It was shop bought but she thinks she is the bees knees twirling and making squiggles and circles in the air with it!!
we have made them with crepe paper streamers in the past & also with ribbon on a ring instead of a stick both were a huge success
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Lovely idea – am going to try this with Miss 28mo. She’s very into dress ups and dancing at the moment so this will be a fun addition I think.
Thanks! my flowergirls are going to be swirling these around.