How to Make Paper Weapons

Paper weapons don't cause bodily harm, but they are fun to use when playing make-believe. Swords, knives and guns are all easy to create. In fact, it can be fun to make a whole battery of weapons for your imaginative play. Weapons may not be the best toys for children to play with, but kids sure do enjoy them, and making your own teaches kids design and craft skills that have nothing to do with imaginary violence. What's more, paper weapons are much cheaper than store bought toys.

Things You'll Need

• Standard sheet of paper
• Cotton swab applicator
• Clean tape
• Duct tape
• Wrapping paper
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Grab a standard sheet of paper and being to tightly roll it using the long side. This will be your paper gun. To be more exact, it will be a blow gun. The opening inside the paper roll should be slightly smaller than a centimeter when you are finished.

2. Tape the edge of the paper to the cylinder once it is completely rolled. Now you can place a cotton swab applicator inside the cylinder and blow. You now have a homemade blow gun. The applicators are your darts.

3. Cut eight large squares of wrapping paper. Lay the sheets right on top of one another with the edges and corners lined up correctly. This will become your paper sword.

4. Begin at one of the corners and roll the papers diagonally towards the far corner. This should create a long shaft with 2 sharp looking points.

5. Tape the paper in place so the roll stays in a tight cylinder. Then, grab one of the ends and bend it about 5 inches up from the bottom. Create a loop and tightly tape it in place on the shaft with duct tape. This will be your handle.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to give your paper sword a bit more stability and water resistance, wrap the entire thing with duct tape once it is finished.

• Don't shoot the blow gun darts anywhere above the neck. It may be a pretend paper weapon, but you could hurt and eye with a direct hit.