How to Make a Paper Car That Moves

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Things You'll Need

  • Box from a bar of soap

  • Colored markers

  • Tape

  • Four 1- inch wooden balls

  • Two wooden skewers (5 inches long)

  • Plastic bendable straw

  • Balloon in a cylindrical shape

You can easily make a toy car that moves with a cylindrical balloon.

Making a moving toy car is easy to accomplish, and even pre-schoolers can participate in this craft activity. A discarded box from a bar of soap and a balloon can become a toy car that will delight your child. The entire family can join in the fun with their individually designed race cars. Children love to complete crafts; it gives them a sense of pride and helps them to understand how things are constructed.

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Step 1

Decorate an empty soap box by using colored markers to make racing stripes. You can also draw numbers on your soap box to make it look more like a race car.

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Step 2

Use a sharpened pencil to make four holes in the soap box. Make these holes about 3/4 of an inch from the ends of the soap box and 1/4 inch from the bottom of the box. Make sure the holes are even on both sides of the box so that the car will sit evenly.

Step 3

Push one wooden skewer through the set of holes at the front of the soap box. Place the second one through the back pair of holes. The skewers should stick out past the box on both sides. These form the car axles.

Step 4

Glue the wooden balls onto each end of the skewers to form the wheels. Allow them to dry.

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Step 5

Blow up the balloon a couple of times to make it more pliable and to loosen its elasticity. Insert the bendable end of the straw into the balloon until the bendable portion is covered by the balloon's neck.

Step 6

Use the tape to attach the balloon securely to the straw. This will keep it from flying off when you blow up the balloon, which will "power" your car. Attach the balloon and straw onto the top of your car by taping over the part where the straw and balloon connect.

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Step 7

Place the straw in your mouth and blow the balloon up. Pinch the end of the balloon tightly where it connects with the straw and hold it while you place the car onto the floor or a tabletop or wherever you plan to race it. Count to five and have everyone release their balloons at the same time, Let the races begin.

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