Pop-Top Rockets(Ages 12-16)
These mini rockets are so easy to make and so fun to set off, you’ll want to launch them again and again.
Parent supervision and eye protection are highly recommended for this project! Never point your pop-top rocket at yourself or anyone else. This project must be done outside.
Pressure Bottle Rocket(Ages 9-16)
Water squirters work by pressurizing reservoirs of water with air. As you pump the squirter, it gradually adds air to the reservoir, increasing the pressure. When you pull the trigger, the pressure is allowed to release and a stream of water shoots out!
In this DIY project, we'll learn how to use the exact sample principles found in water squirters to launch a water rocket sky-high! Follow along with these simple steps and you'll be blasting off in no time.
Want to make a bottle rocket without the hassle of gathering materials? Blast off with a Bottle Rocket Blaster crate from the KiwiCo Store! It includes a step-by-step video tutorial link, illustrated instructions, and all the materials you'll need!
Straw Rockets(Ages 3-16)
How fast do you think a rocket needs to go in order to launch into orbit? A shuttle needs to go from 0 to 18,000 miles per hour to get to space! (This is 9 times faster than the speed of a rifle bullet!) While these paper straw rockets don't fly nearly as fast, we had a bunch of fun watching them zoom off. Give it a try and see how well your rockets fly!
Balloon Rocket(Ages 5-16)
Create your very own balloon powered rockets and see how far they can travel.
Experiment with different balloon shapes and sizes to experiment with the travel speed.
Making a Rocket(Ages 5-8)
Use a mailing tube to create a rocket that "blasts off!"
5 DIY Rocket Experiments Kids Can Launch at Home
Let go of a balloon before you tie it and it shoots across the room. The air rushing out one end pushes the balloon the other way, and that's the same idea that gets a real rocket off the launchpad. World Space Week happens every year from October 4 through 10, which is an open invitation to launch something. These five projects are an easy way to do it. They run on air, water, and a fizzing antacid tablet instead of rocket fuel. Four of them fly, and the fifth is a mailing-tube rocket built for holding and pretend countdowns, which suits the youngest kids in the house. Museums, planetariums, and schools around the world host their own events that week, so it's worth checking the World Space Week calendar for something near you.