Today we are sharing a Launching Rocket Cup Craft that also includes a little robot. This activity was inspired by a book (that’s where the robot comes in). This cup craft and activity has been so much fun! I did it with little brother first, but when big brother saw it, he just HAD to do it too. They had fun launching and “racing” their rockets together. It was a big win in our house, so I can’t wait to share it with you!
There are ways to extend learning with rocket craft! This is a great STEM craft to learn about elasticity and force. It would be fun to experiment with using the rubber bands in different ways to see how it effects they way the rocket flies. It would also be fun to use this as a measurement activity to measure how high it launches.
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Storybook Science
We recently read Go, Otto, Go which is an Adventures of Otto book by David Milgrim. This book is so cute! It’s an early reading book, which means my son can read it all on his own. Our favorite part of the book is when Otto launches his rocket and it goes every which way.
This reminded us of the Jumping Bunny Craft we made recently, so we thought it would be so much fun to make a rocket version! We also included a robot to ride on our rocket too, of course!
How To Make A Launching Rocket Cup Craft With a Robot:
Materials:
- Launching Rocket Cup Craft with Robot printed onto cardstock
- Crayons
- Scissors
- Two 9 oz paper cups
- Rubberbands
- Tape (and optional glue)
Make a Launching Rocket With a Robot:
First, print the Launching Rocket With Robot template (linked above) onto cardstock.
Color the pieces as you’d like. We used crayons.
After coloring the pieces, cut the rocket pieces out along the dotted lines. Do not cut the solid lines. Those are the lines you will fold along in the next step.
If you’d like to add the robot, cut it out as well.
*Note: You can do the following step before OR after making your rocket. We did it after making ours, but it’s actually a bit easier to do it before attaching the rocket pieces.
On the same cup that you will use to make your rocket, you will attach rubberbands. This is what makes the rocket launch!
Cut four equally-spaces slits into the paper cup. Next, cut two pieces of rubber band, about the width of the cup’s opening. Tie a knot at each end, and then slip each end of each rubberband into each slit of the cup. For more details and photos of how to do this, please visit the Jumping Bunny Cup Craft post.
Now it’s time to make your rocket!
Fold along the solid lines on the fin pieces. Use glue or tape on the tab to attach it to the paper cup.
Make a cone with the pie shaped piece but rolling it into a cone shape and taping the tab. You can adjust the size as needed by overlapping the tab more or less.
Tape the cone onto the rocket.
Now add the robot where you’d like him to ride! We added ours to the front of the rocket like a page in the story where Otto was riding on the front of his rocket.
How To Launch Your Rocket Cup and Robot:
Launching your rocket is simple! To launch your rocket, you will set the rocket cup onto another paper cup. The rubberbands in the opening of the rocket will rest on the bottom of the second cup.
Next, carefully push down onto the rocket. Release to watch it fly!
For an example of how to lunch, here’s a video of the jumping bunny. This is also how you launch the rocket:
Check out more great Storybook Science activities here:
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