Father's Day Photo Frame Craft

A homemade photo frame is one of those Father's Day gifts that actually sticks around — it earns a spot on the desk or nightstand and stays there for years. This craft uses craft sticks and a handful of simple supplies to build a frame your preschooler decorates themselves, finished off with a photo that makes it immediately meaningful.

What You'll Need

Gather these before you sit down with your child — the craft moves quickly once you start:

• 8 jumbo craft sticks (the wide ones, roughly 6 inches long)
• Craft glue or a low-temp glue gun (adult use only)
• Acrylic paint in 2-3 colors your child likes, or washable tempera paint
• Foam paintbrushes, 1-2 inch width (1 per color is ideal)
• Small decorations: googly eyes, foam stickers, adhesive gems, or dried macaroni
• A printed photo, approximately 3x3 inches
• A strip of magnetic tape or a small piece of ribbon for hanging (optional)
• Newspaper or a silicone mat to protect the table

Total supplies cost is typically under $5 if you already have paint at home.

Build the Frame First

This part is for the adult. Lay four craft sticks side by side, edges touching, to form a square base. Glue them together by running two more craft sticks horizontally across the back — one near the top, one near the bottom — so all four are held firmly as a single panel. Let this dry for about 10 minutes.

Now glue four more craft sticks around the front edge to create the frame border: one along each side, overlapping at the corners like a simple log-cabin pattern. This raised border gives little hands something to decorate without losing gems into the center. Let everything dry completely before handing it to your child.

Painting Time (Ages 2-6, About 15 Minutes)

Set the dried frame on your protected surface and hand your child the foam brushes and paint. There's no wrong way to do this part. Two-year-olds will likely cover the whole thing in one enthusiastic color — that's perfect. Four- and five-year-olds might want to do stripes or alternate colors on each stick, which works beautifully with the log-cabin border layout.

Give it 20-30 minutes to dry fully. Tempera paint dries faster than acrylic, so if you're in a hurry, that's the better choice for this step.

Adding the Decorations

Once the paint is dry, set out your small decorations in little piles or a muffin tin so they don't roll everywhere. Let your child choose what goes where and press each piece into a dot of craft glue. Googly eyes on the corners are almost universally beloved by preschoolers. Foam stickers shaped like stars, hearts, or trucks work well for kids who aren't quite ready to handle tiny gems.

If your child wants to add Dad's name or the year, you can write it with a black Sharpie before they start decorating, or use adhesive letter stickers they can place themselves.

Finishing the Frame

Once decorations are dry (another 20 minutes or so), flip the frame over and glue the photo to the back panel so it shows through the front. Center it as best you can — it doesn't need to be perfect. If you'd like the frame to stand on a surface, glue a folded strip of cardstock to the back at an angle to act as an easel leg. For a hanging version, loop a short piece of ribbon and glue the two ends to the top back edge.

Wrap it in tissue paper and your child has a gift that required real effort and looks genuinely charming.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size photo works best for this frame?

A 3x3 inch print fits the four-stick square panel well. You can print one at a pharmacy photo counter or at home. If the photo is slightly larger, trim the edges — the frame border will cover a little of the image on each side anyway.

Can a 2-year-old actually do this craft?

Yes, with realistic expectations. A two-year-old can do the painting step and press a few stickers on with help. The frame assembly is entirely adult-led, which is completely fine — their contribution is the decoration, and that's the part Dad will love most.

What if the craft sticks don't hold together?

Craft glue works but needs full drying time. If your frame feels wobbly after 10 minutes, give it another 15-20 minutes before passing it to your child. A low-temp glue gun creates a much stronger bond instantly — just keep small hands away from the tip and the fresh glue lines.