Make Space Rockets as a Family

Doing crafts as a family can be a magical moment, and if you make space rockets, you're guaranteed to have a fun time. Learn how!

Written and verified by the teacher Samanta Ruiz.

Last update: 28 February, 2023

If you want to take an imaginary trip into space, what better idea than to get creative and make space rockets as a family? Children love to become astronauts, simulate missions in space, and feel the thrill of the countdown before takeoff.

To do this, create your own space rockets with materials you have at home: Boxes, cardboard, straws, corks, buttons, etc. Here are 5 simple ideas to make space rockets and have a lot of fun. Let activity soar! Shall we get started?

Space rocket with straws

This model is very simple, its construction is fast, and the final result is great.

Materials

• Straws of different diameters
• Paper
• Molding clay
• Scissors
• A plastic bottle with a lid

Step-by-step instructions

1. Draw a rocket on the paper, cut it out, and glue it to the thick straw.
2. Make a hole in the bottle cap, insert the thinner straw, and glue it with the modeling clay.
3. Cover one end of the thick straw with clay.
4. Insert the other end of the thick straw into the rocket launcher (the thin straw).
5. Screw the cap onto the bottle.
6. Press hard on the sides of the bottle so that the rocket will launch.

The space rocket will be launched by the air pressure inside the bottle!

Water bottle rocket

This craft has a bit of science instruction, as children will be able to see how air pressure works. It’s best to launch your space rockets outdoors.

Materials

• 1 large plastic bottle
• 1 cork
• Water
• Inflator
• Paper

Step-by-step instructions

1. Wrap the bottle with paper to make it look like a space rocket.
2. Fill it halfway with water and plug the opening with a cork.
3. Insert the spout of the inflator through the cork.
4. Turn the bottle upside down and hold it up.
5. Blow air with the inflator several times into the bottle.
6. When the air pressure reaches the limit, the water will be released through the cork with a lot of momentum.

Be careful where you aim! You can all get wet!

Vinegar Toss

A mix of creativity and science, this experiment is a fun way to play and learn.

Materials

• 2 plastic bottles of half a liter
• 8 ounces of vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of baking soda
• 1 cork
• Cardboard
• Adhesive tape
• Toilet paper

Step-by-step instructions

1. Cut a bottle in half to be the base of the rocket.
2. On the other bottle, stick the rocket’s fins with adhesive tape.
3. Place 250 milliliters of vinegar inside the second bottle.
4. On a small piece of toilet paper place 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Make a small packet and make sure the baking soda is well compacted.
5. Insert the packet into the bottle with the vinegar.
6. Quickly cap the bottle with the cork.
7. Shake the bottle and, with a quick shake, turn it upside down so that it butts up against the base (bottle 1).

What happens next is very funny and has a scientific explanation: When vinegar is mixed with baking soda, a gas called carbon dioxide is formed which, being in a confined space, expands. Then, the gas presses the bottle until it’s uncorked and causes the space rocket to fly away!

Make space rockets with recycled materials

Activate your creativity and recycle to take care of nature by reusing what’s no longer used in your home.

Materials

• One paper towel tube
• Cardboard
• Tempera paint
• Glue
• Colored wrapping paper in strips
• Buttons

Step-by-step instructions

1. The cardboard tube will be the body of the rocket. Start by painting it with white tempera paint.
2. Glue some buttons to simulate some parts of the rocket.
3. Make, cut, and glue the base and the tip with cardboard.
4. On the back, add red strips.

This is a family craft that’s ideal for your little ones, and when you work together, you get the best results!

Make space rockets with boxes

Can we make a toy out of cardboard? Of course we can! Let’s put our hands and our imaginations to work.

Materials

• Cardboard boxes of various sizes
• Scissors
• Masking tape
• Metallic paper
• Glittery stickers

Step-by-step instructions

1. Join two boxes by stacking them and taping them together.
2. Design and cut out little windows.
3. Cover the boxes with metallic paper.
4. Attach glittery stickers for visual impact.

Share quality time with the kids

Doing these kinds of activities together at home is the ideal way to spend quality time with your children. Working creatively has many benefits for children, from learning to plan to having the satisfaction of finishing a project.

In addition, making crafts as a family is an opportunity to relax and have fun. It’s a special moment to create unforgettable memories. The goal is multipurpose: To play, laugh, learn, and have a great time!