This adorable paint stick ballerina craft is perfect for little dancers who love to create. It’s an easy, fun group activity for a dance class, birthday party, or a rainy afternoon at home.
During a recent crafting session, some of the kids were talking about their year-end recitals, and it naturally led to a dance-themed project. We previously made tiny ballerina ornaments, but this time we adapted the idea into slightly larger, sturdier paint stick ballerinas using paper plate tutus. These are great additions to our A–Z paper plate crafts collection.
The finished ballerinas are charming and very kid-friendly. The children loved personalizing each dancer, especially decorating the tiny ballet slippers.
Materials for a paint stick ballerina craft
- Wooden paint sticks (often available free from hardware or paint stores)
- Acrylic craft paint
- Paintbrushes
- Paper plates
- Pink or satin ribbon for ballet slippers
- Yarn for hair
- Glue and tape (or a hot glue gun for faster setting)
- Sequins, craft jewels, or other decorations
- Markers or fine-tip pens for faces
How to make your paint stick ballerinas
Start by cutting a paper plate in half to form a simple tutu shape. Paint one half of the plate in your chosen tutu color — traditional pinks work well, but any bright hue makes the dancers playful and unique. Allow the paint to dry completely.
Paint the center section of the wooden paint stick to create the ballerina’s torso. Leave the top inch unpainted for the face and hair area, and leave the bottom inch unpainted for the legs and slippers. Choosing contrasting colors for the body and head area helps the facial features stand out.
Glue the painted paper plate half to the painted stick to form the tutu. You can add sequins, craft jewels, or shimmer paint to embellish the skirt — these small details really make the tutu sparkle and give each ballerina its own personality.
For the hair, squeeze a thin line of glue around the top unpainted portion of the stick and wrap yarn around it to create braids, buns, or loose hair. Secure the yarn ends with a dab of glue. Yarn hair is durable and easy for children to style.
Draw or paint a simple face on the unpainted top section. Use washable markers, fine-tip pens, or a small brush with acrylic paint. Test the marker on the back of the stick first to ensure it doesn’t bleed into the wood; if it does, painting the face will give a cleaner result.
Finish with the ballet slippers: paint the bottom inch of the stick with a slipper color, then attach narrow satin ribbon to mimic the ribbons of pointe shoes. School glue may not hold ribbon securely, so try double-sided tape or a small dab of hot glue for the best result. Tying the ribbon around the stick a few times gives a realistic wrapped effect.
And that’s it — a sweet, handmade paint stick ballerina ready for display or imaginative play. These dolls are lightweight, simple to make in groups, and encourage creativity as each child decorates their own dancer.
More ideas and variations
- Try different tutu shapes by cutting the paper plate into ruffles or layering thin tissue paper over the plate for texture.
- Swap yarn hair for pom-poms or felt for different hairstyles and textures.
- Use metallic paint or glitter glue to add stage-ready shine.
- Make a whole troupe by varying colors and sizes to create a little performance troupe for pretend play.
If you enjoyed this paint stick ballerina craft, you might also enjoy:
Paint Stick Dolls — Coffee Filter Ballerina Ornaments — Craft Stick Yarn Dolls
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