Styrofoam Boat Projects
White and lightweight, Styrofoam is more than just packing peanuts and cups. Because the insulating foam does such extreme environmental damage when burned and takes so long to break down, consider reusing the material for crafts projects. Aside from making ornaments and figurines, Styrofoam is ideal for creating homemade toy boats.
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Styrofoam Sailboat
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This boat isn't just easy for kids to make but provides an opportunity to explain what drag is in terms of a sailboat. Start by punching a hole into a Styrofoam tray, similar to the kind you get when you buy meat at the grocery store. Stick a kebab skewer through the hole and secure it with a few pieces of tape or drops of glue. Add a sail by cutting a piece out of a clean white sheet. Place it in a basin of water with a fan blowing on it, alternating speed to explain the principals of drag.
Styrofoam Rowboat
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For this project you need a block of Styrofoam at least 4 inches thick, like the kind that comes with electronic equipment. With scissors or an Exacto knife, cut the Styrofoam into a half-oval shape roughly 8 inches long. You want the narrow end of the oval to be slightly pointy, like an actual rowboat, so be sure to trim it down to that shape. Then, using a chisel, dig out the middle of the boat to hollow it out. Collect all the shavings of Styrofoam in a bag, for later use. Carve out two grooves in the boat for the paddles to rest against. Create two paddles for the boat out of craft sticks. Cut one craft stick in half and glue the two halves to the bottom of one full-sized craft stick. Repeat this again and you have two paddles. This boat is ideal for two lightweight dolls.
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Tiny Sailboat
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This craft is suitable for very young children with developing motor skills and little concept of floating and sinking. Rinse out a wide-mouthed bottle and fill it halfway with water, dropping blue food coloring into it. Replace the cap and swish the bottle vigorously, to mix the color. Stick a toothpick in the center of a Styrofoam packing peanut. Cut a tiny triangle out of paper and tape it to the toothpick as a sail. Gently push the sailboat into the bottle. You may need to slightly shorten the toothpick to get it through. Let the child move the bottle around, creating gentle waves for the small boat to sail through.
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References
- Photo Credit pink styrofoam business image by robert mobley from Fotolia.com
