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3, 2, 1, launch! Try making these super simple paper cup launchers for a backyard rocket launch competition that’s out of this world.

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Place two rubber bands lengthwise across the cup, making a cross shape over the opening.

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Add a third rubber band around the cup, to secure the two rubber bands in place. This will be the "rocket."

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Get ready to launch! Place a second cup upside down on a flat surface. Put the "rocket" over the base cup. Holding the lip of the rocket cup, pull down and release! Watch your "rocket" go flying!

cups (2)

rubber bands (3+)

Rubber Band Powered Cup Launcher

boat

backyard science

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outdoor science projects

Make and play with a plastic bottle submarine!Learn more about water and the amazing creatures that live under the sea with the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/professions-marine-biologist-project-kit/5457" target="_self">Marine Biologist Starter Kit </a>from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store" target="_self">KiwiCo Store</a>!

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Using the push pin, make a hole in the center of the bottom of the bottle. 

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Straighten one paper clip and push it through the hole. Then, using the pencil, bend the end of the paper clip inside the bottle so that it forms a hook (you may need an adult to assist you). Secure the end of the paper clip on the outside of the bottle.&nbsp;

To secure the end of the paper clip, we made a second hole in the bottom of the bottle and pushed the paper clip back into the bottle.

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Draw a four blade propeller onto a piece of paper and cut it out. This will be your template.

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Using your template, trace the propeller onto the yogurt container lid. 

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Use the heat gun to make the plastic more pliable. Then, bend each blade of the propeller so that the pointy side is slightly raised.

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Using the push pin, make a hole in the center of the propeller and the center of the bottle cap. 

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Straighten the second paper clip except for one hook. Then, push it through the hole in the cap so that the hook is on the underside of the cap.

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Hook one end of a rubber band onto it and hook the other end of the rubber band onto the hook inside the bottle. Then, close the cap.

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Slide the propeller onto the paper clip so that it is lies flush with the top of the bottle. Then, bend the paper clip to secure it in place.

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Hot glue the pennies to either end of the popsicle stick. 

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Using the last 2 rubber bands, strap the popsicle stick to the bottle near the bottom. This will be your submarine’s fins.
 
Now you are ready to experiment with your submarine! Fill the basin with water, wind up your submarine, place it in the water, and let it go! Allowing more or less water into the bottle will determine whether your submarine floats to the top of the tub or sinks to the bottom. Try to get it to float in the middle of the tub!

Submarines travel underwater thanks to two basic principles. First, the submarine needs to be able to control its buoyancy, or how much it floats (or sinks) in the water. Submarines can change their buoyancy using ballast tanks, which can be filled with air and water in different ratios. If there's a lot of water in the ballast tanks, the submarine will sink, while if there's a lot of air in the ballast tanks, the submarine will rise. Try playing around with the amount of water versus air in your water bottle submarine — a certain amount should give your sub the right buoyancy to float just beneath the surface of the water. The second principle of submarine travel rests on Newton's third law, which states that for every action, there is a reaction. In the case of submarines, a propellor with angled blades spins, pushing water behind the submarine (the action). In response to this backwards movement of water, the submarine is pushed forwards (the reaction). The propellor on your submarine is spun by a twisted rubber band. The more that the rubber band is twisted, the more the rubber band will try to untwist and relax into its original shape. When you let go, this untwisting spins the propellor, pushing water back and driving the submarine forwards. To stay upright while moving around underwater, submarines also use a variety of fins, like the one on your water bottle submarine. Real submarines can move their fins around, which, along with the ballast tanks and propellor, can enable motion in nearly any direction.

plastic bottle (small, with cap)

push pin

paper clips (2)

rubber bands (3)

pencil

popsicle stick

pennies

hot glue / hot glue gun

container lid

Scissors

heat gun (or candle)

Pliers

water

Paper

Markers

Submarine

flight

plane

backyard games

outdoor activities

Take your paper airplanes to new heights by making a motorized launcher for them.Build more awesome electronic vehicles, all from one convenient kit with a <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/make-it-move-electronics-set/4500" target="_self">Make-It-Move Electronics Set</a> from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store" target="_self">KiwiCo Store</a>!

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Hot glue a flat rubber band around the outside of a wooden wheel. Repeat for the second wheel. 

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Create a small plastic circle using the pushpin. Push the pushpin into the lid and trace around it with a marker. Repeat again to make a second circle. 

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Cut out one of the small circles and hot glue it to the center of the wooden wheel. Repeat for the other wheel. 

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Connect the battery leads to the loose wire leads. 

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Connect the alligator clips to the free end of the leads.

Using the same colored leads and alligator clips will help you to remember what goes where.

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Place batteries in the battery holders. Then, close them.

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Connect the free ends of the alligator clips to the motor as seen in the photo. 

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Test the motors! Place each wheel onto the top of either motor and turn the battery holders on. Make sure that the wheels are spinning in opposite directions.

If the wheels are not spinning in opposite directions, switch the position of the alligator clips on the motor.

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Disconnect the motors from the alligator clips. Then, hot glue the motors to the smallest wooden blocks so that the motors are flush to the top of the blocks. 

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Fill the hole in the center of the wheel with hot glue so that it is as stable as possible. Scrape any excess hot glue off the top with a scrap piece of paper or cardboard.

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Mark the base ½” from either short side and 4 ¼” from the bottom. Then, hot glue the mounted motors on your mark. 

Note: The bottom is the end of the base closest to the mounted motors. 

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Mark the base ¼” from either short side and 2 ¾” from the bottom. Also, mark the base ¼” from either short side and 3 ¼” from the top. Then, hot glue the the wooden poles on your marks. 

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Paint the wooden runways so that they look like a real runway or design them however you like! This is where your plane will “take off” from. 

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Hot glue the runways to the poles.

Note: Make sure to  leave about ¼” of space between the wheels and the runway. 

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Connect the free ends of the alligator clips to the motors. Then, test them to make sure that the wheels are spinning in opposite directions.

If the wheels are not spinning in opposite directions, first check that the alligator clips on a single motor are coming from the same battery pack. If the wheels are still not spinning in opposite directions, switch the position of the alligator clips on the motor.

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Now you’re ready to launch some paper airplanes! Load a paper airplane into your launcher and watch it fly away. Try angling your launcher by placing some books underneath it and see what happens!

You may want to have a friend hold down your airplane launcher when it’s on.

Paper airplanes work just like regular passenger planes and fighter jets: by redirecting air to keep themselves airborne. As long as a plane is moving quickly, its wings will redirect a lot of air downwards, which generates an equal upwards force (lift). This lift is enough to bear the weight of the plane against the pull of gravity. Your paper airplane launcher is effective because it gives the paper airplanes a lot of speed, and therefore a lot of lift — plenty to keep the planes aloft for lengthy trips around a room (or until they hit something!)

dc hobby motor (2)

wire leads (4)

alligator clips (4)

battery pack (2)

aa batteries (4)

wooden wheel (2) - 2" diameter

rubber band (2) - flat

container lid - plastic

pushpins

wooden base (1) - 3/4" x 5 1/2" x 16 1/2"

wooden blocks (2) - 2” x 1” x ¾”

wooden poles (4) - 3 ¾” x ⅜” x ⅜”

wooden runway (2) - 12”x 1 ½” x ¼”

paint & paint brush - yellow and black

paper airplane

Paper Airplane Launcher

STEM

transportation

game design

Ready to get racing? Explore potential and kinetic energy with this rubber band-powered racer that kids (and grownups) can't get enough of!Grow your young engineer's love for physics with a <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/marble-roller-coaster/5885" target="_self">Marble Roller Coaster</a> from the <a href="https://www.kiwico.com/store" target="_self">KiwiCo Store</a>! Become a thrill engineer and build twisty, turny tabletop roller coasters.

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Cut your lollipop sticks so they are both 2.5 inches in length. Cut the tip of the wooden skewer so it is 0.75 inches long. Cut the rest of the skewer into two 4 inch long sticks. Using a marker, mark the midway point in one of the 4 inch long wooden sticks.

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With a ruler and marker, mark the 1 inch and 2-inch point from both ends of a straw. Each straw should have 4 marks. Repeat with the second straw.

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Using a small drill bit, create holes over each marked spot on the straws. You’ll want to make the holes wide enough to fit the skewers and lollipop sticks. Drill a very small hole through the midway mark in the skewer.

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Stick the lollipop sticks in the two inner holes, creating a ladder shape between the straws. Use a hot glue gun to glue the sticks in place.

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To prep your wheels, mark the center of each container lid with a marker. Drill holes into each lid. The holes should be wide enough for your sticks.

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Stick the skewers into the outer holes on the straws. The skewers, which will serve as the wheel axles, should be a little loose so your wheels roll smoothly.

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The skewer with the drilled midway hole will serve as the back axle. Attach the larger wheels to the back axle with hot glue. Stick the 0.75-inch long skewer tip into the drilled hole. Also, secure that with hot glue.

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Using hot glue, attach the smaller wheels onto the front axle. Test to make sure that both sets of wheels can freely roll.

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Take a rubber band and loop it through the lollipop stick near the front axle. Hook the other end of the rubber band around the skewer tip attached to the back axle. To wind up your car, carefully turn the large wheels of the car so that the rubber band winds around the back axle. Let go and watch your car spin off! Continue experimenting with your car and try different size and length rubber bands. What combination works the best?

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36 best outdoor game projects for kids

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