Who wants to have a boat race? You can with this fun recycled juice box craft. These juice box sailboats will provide hours of fun and also teach a bit of science along the way.
Are you looking for more interactive crafts and fun activities you can do with your kids? Check out these Amazing Indoor Crafts and Activities for Kids – parents will have fun with these as well.
Juice Box Sailboat
My kids are always playing their own version of the game “Sink or Float”. We fill up a plastic bin with water in the backyard and they run around looking for things to test. For example buttons, postcards, leaves, rubber bands, small rocks, popsicle sticks, keys, bouncy balls, Pez dispensers, etc.
Did you know juice boxes float? Turns out they make excellent little boats. If you read Parents magazine, you may have already seen these boats in their August issue. I am proud to share them again here.
What makes this a great Craft?
Do you have lots of juice boxes? Well, this is the perfect way to give them a new life.
This craft is great for any age and is easy to make and have fun while making it. It is also budget-friendly as half of the items needed are recycled materials that would normally be thrown in the trash.
In addition, kids learn about the weights and balances needed to keep things afloat. When floating it down a stream or in a tub of water they will soon learn that they can keep it from tipping over by adding weight to it. They can shift the weight around until they find the perfect spot to keep it from tipping over.
Materials needed to make Juice Box Sail Boats
This craft might take some pre-planning because you will need to start saving juice boxes. I think you find small milk cartons might work also. Here’s what you need:
- pair of scissors
- empty juice box without the straw (recycled)
- small wooden skewer
- Tyvek envelope (recycled; use one sent to you in the mail)
- colored tape (masking tape, Washi tape, or duct tape)
How to make a sailboat out of a Juice Box
To make your own juice box boat, follow these easy steps.
- Cover an empty juice box’s straw hole with tape.
- Cut a 4″ high by 3″ wide triangular sail from a Tyvek envelope (I used an old USPS Priority Mail envelope).
- Decorate the sail with colored tape and make a little flag. Have fun and add a monogram or number to mark the sail.
- Push a small wooden skewer through both sides of the box so that it sticks out underneath about an inch or so.
- Use tape to attach your sail to the skewer leaving about 1/3″ of space at the top.
- Above the sail attach the flag.
We’ve made several versions of these boats this summer. We take them down to the little creek that runs through the regional park nearby and see how far they can sail without tipping over. (If your boat seems especially tippy, cut a narrow slit in the top and slide in a few pennies.) Happy sailing!
This post was shared by Brooke Reynolds of Inchmark. For more crafty inspiration visit Inchmark!
What other crafts can I make with recycled items?
Recycling materials help keep trash out of landfills and gives them a second purpose for fun or for function. After you have made this boat craft be sure to try one of these crafts.
- Juice Bag to Pencil Pouch
- Egg Carton Caterpillars
- Egg Carton Flowers
- Shirt Cuff Pouches
- Sharpie Sun Catchers
- Recycled Bracelet craft for kids
- Clorox Bleach Bottle Game
- Recycled T-shirt Summer Bags
- Advent Calendar
- Recycled Container to Magnetic Pencil Holder
TIP: When my kids were little I filled one of my lower drawers with empty cereal boxes, containers, paper towel rolls, etc, and some tape. At anytime my kids could open the draw and build amazing sculptures and have lots of fun.
Recycling and upscaling reusable items is a huge part of Earth Day. If you want your kids to learn more about Earth Day they might enjoy these coloring and activity sheets.
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Juice Box Sailboats
Equipment
- Pair of Scissors
Ingredients
- empty juice box without the straw recycled
- small wooden skewer
- Tyvex envelope recycled; use one sent to you in the mail
- colored tape masking tape, Washi tape, or duct tape
Instructions
- Cover an empty juice box's straw hole with tape.
- Cut a 4" high by 3" wide triangular sail from a Tyvek envelope (I used an old USPS Priority Mail envelope).
- Decorate the sail with colored tape and make a little flag. Have fun and add a monogram or number to mark the sail.
- Push a small wooden skewer through both sides of the box so that it sticks out underneath about an inch or so.
- Use tape to attach your sail to the skewer leaving about 1/3" of space at the top.
- Above the sail attach the flag.
Awesome Idea. The amazing creature I like This idea. Can You please make another study creativity on Baby Feeding
Awesome Idea. The amazing creature I like This idea. Can You please make another study creativity on Baby Feeding
I’m the Editorial Assistant for Fun Family Crafts and I wanted to let you know that we have featured your juice box boats! You can see them here:
http://funfamilycrafts.com/juice-box-boats/
If you have other kid friendly crafts, we’d love it if you would submit them. If you would like to display a featured button on your site, you can grab one from the right side bar of your post above. Thanks for a wonderful project idea!
Woah this weblog is fantastic i like studying your articles. Stay up the good paintings! You recognize, lots of individuals are hunting around for this information, you could help them greatly.
Interesting~ I got given a ton of fruit last week from a friend and decided to make juice out of it all – found some unique juice recipe here if you’re interested
Hey! Thanks for this amazing idea. I’ve used in the summer camp that I’m working. The kids were really excited! Our version though was a little different and more simple. You can have a look here:
http://anzouyaspool.blogspot.com/2010/07/better-monday.html
These are super cute!
I am going to make them with my kids. They will love them.
how sweet!
I am going to make some of these with my boys!
Awww, so cute, what a fun idea, my nephew would love to make these. Thank you for sharing!
Hugz,
Kim
What an excellent idea! I can’ wait to try it with my kids this weekend! Thanks for sharing!
– Mandy
Wish I had seen these before we made all our VBS plans. The theme is High Seas Adventure. Will put this in the memory bank for sure!!! Thanks!!!
What a great idea. My kids would LOVE this. Thanks for sharing!
awesome so excited to see what the 30 days brings!
These are totally cute! I think I may have to go get some juice boxes so that I can make some of these for myself lol We have a little creek on our property and that would be fun!