How to Make a Large Plane Out of Cardboard

Let her soar through imaginary skies in a cardboard airplane.

Let a young child soar the skies in his imagination from the comfort of your living room by transforming a cardboard box into an airplane, complete with a turning propeller, front window and a paint job using his favorite colors. Cover the box with aluminum foil wrap for a new-age, shiny flying machine, or give him a box of crayons or markers to let him create his own custom airplane for hours of flying adventures.

Things You'll Need

• Large cardboard box (at least 24 inches cubed)
• Scissors
• Craft glue
• Extra piece of cardboard or cardboard box (at least 24 inches square)
• Butterfly paper clip
• Child-friendly paint
• Paintbrush

Instructions

1. Cut off the bottom of the cardboard box, and lay the box down on the open bottom.

2. Cut a 14-inch square at one end of the top of the box for the young pilot to sit in the cardboard airplane.

3. Draw a rectangle on the left and right sides of the box. Make the rectangles about 14 inches wide by 20 inches long. You can adjust these lengths to accommodate the size of the box.

4. Cut along the bottom and both sides of the rectangles. Leave the top of the rectangles attached. Fold the rectangles upward to make the wings.

5. Cut four strips from the square cut out from the top of the airplane. Make each strip about an inch wide by 6 inches long. Fold each strip on a 90-degree angle, and glue the strips just beneath the wings on the outer left and right sides of each rectangle to make the wings stay up.

6. Cut two long rectangles from the extra cardboard, each about 2 inches wide by 10 inches long. Lay one across the other to make a "t" shape. Puncture the center of the strips with a butterfly paper clip, and puncture the front of the plane with the clip. Fold the edges of the butterfly clip outward on the inside of the box. This attaches the cardboard propeller to the plane, and the butterfly clip lets the propeller turn.

7. Cut a 14-inch square of cardboard from the extra cardboard. Cut out a 10-inch square from the center. Fold over 2 inches at one end on a 90-degree angle, and glue the folded flap to the front of the plane to make a windshield.

8. Cut one more piece of cardboard from the extra cardboard. Make this piece a triangle with a bottom length of about 8 inches. Make a slit at the top, back of the box and push the bottom of the triangle into the slit in the box to make the rear fin.

9. Paint the airplane with child-friendly paints in any color you like.

References

• Disney Family Fun: Box Airplane