Make your own STRAW ROCKET from straws, tape, and paper. Nothing could be easier. Challenge kids to compete for the farthest launching rocket or just have fun blowing these around your home.
We’ve been having the best time shooting air rockets out of milkshake/boba tea straws (found in our supermarket) The baby enjoyed seeing the rockets fly overhead while chasing them around the room, while my three year old challenged herself to shoot these far and wide.
This project is featured in the book, TinkerLab: A Hands-on Guide for Little Inventors (affiliate)
Materials
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- Milkshake straws
- Copy, Printer, or other light weight paper
- Transparent Tape
You’ll want to roll the paper into a tube that will cover most of the straw. Cut a piece of paper large enough to roll around a straw, leaving a 1″-2″ tab that can be taped closed over the other side of paper. Cut another small piece of paper and attach it to the end of the paper tube. Seal it shut.
The nose of your rocket can be flat or conical. To make a conical nose, cut a circle from paper. Cut a slit along the radius of the circle. Twist the paper into a cone and then tape it to the body of your rocket.
See photos for inspiration.
Place the paper tube on top of the straw, move into a wide open space, and blow.
Our Experience
What you don’t see here is my one-year old laughing hysterically each time a paper tube shot over her head.This was the third day we played with these over a three week period, and it still caught my kids’ attention.
Mistakes are okay
This is an exercise in problem solving. If you decide to try this and it doesn’t work, the worst thing that could happen is that you’ll be stuck with some milkshake straws that may need to be put to work in a more traditional way! Mmmmm.
More rockets
- This one from NASA is replete with fins. Still easy, but a bit more involved.
- Also more involved. This Ulitimate Straw Rocket is from Instructables.
- These detailed instructions from RAFT for Paper Rockets include the science behind the project.
This is great…I know C will just love this! Probably too much!!! We will definitely do this soon—thanks for all the links too! Congrats on 2000 fans on FB!
It’s ridiculously fun, and so easy to make. Isn’t the FB fan thing crazy? Seems like it was yesterday that we had 2! Thanks Melissa.
what is a copy-weigth paper, sorry 🙂
Hi Liga, I basically meant the type of paper that can be used in a copy machine or printer. Thanks for the question — I edited the materials to make this more clear. Cheers, Rachelle
Very cool! Thanks for stopping by my blog! I love yours. It’s nice to meet you. I love taking my kids to museums and doing science projects. So glad you found me! But, do you have GFC? How do I follow?
Awesome! it’s nice to meet you too. I’m not set up on GFC, but I am on Facebook and Twitter. Facebook link is up top, and twitter is TinkerLabTweets.
I love it – the expression on your daughter’s face is priceless. We will definitely try it out here too!
Thanks, Natalie! Have fun : )
oh! i love this idea!! and am quite sure my boys will be crazy about it too…brings to mind my malt shop days…blowing the paper from the straw across the table at my brother. thank you for sharing 🙂
What a cool idea, I am definitely going to make these with my class of five year olds. They will love it.