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You are here: Home / Learn / Science / STEM for Kids: Straw Rockets (with Free Rocket Template)

October 19, 2018 By Chelsey 44 Comments

STEM for Kids: Straw Rockets (with Free Rocket Template)

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Print out our free rocket printable and have fun making some straw rockets! The kids loved designing their own rockets and then launching them using straws- such a great way for kids to explore science!

Follow our Science for Kids Pinterest board for even more ideas!

 

Straw Rockets- fun science activity for kids! (w/ Free Rocket Template) ~ BuggyandBuddy.com

This post contains affiliate links.
This post was originally published on June 14, 2015 and has since been updated.

 

Here’s an easy way to make straw rockets using just a few materials. This project makes a great addition to a unit on physics, space, the night sky, or things that fly and is also just fun to do on a rainy day!

A reader, Lisa, suggested a great children’s book to go with this activity: The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield. Be sure to check it out!

 

How to Make Straw Rockets

STEM Activity for Kids: How to Make Straw Rockets (w/ Free Rocket Template)- Fun for a science lesson, outdoor play activity, or unit on space! ~ BuggyandBuddy.com

 

The kids and I designed our own rockets and launched them using straws! This activity was definitely a hit with both Lucy (age 7) and Theo (age 3 1/2).

 

coloring rockets (free rocket template)

 

The kids loved seeing how far they could get their straw rockets to go and had fun trying them out at all different angles.

 

This activity makes a great science exploration and is perfect for the classroom. Kids can compare how different angles of the straw affect the distance the rocket travels or how adding fins or folding the rocket in different ways can affect its flight.

 

Science for Kids: Making Straw Rockets


 

See the straw rockets in action!

 


 

Straw Rocket Science Activity for Kids with Free Printable

 

Materials for Making Straw Rockets

  • Straws
  • Tape or glue dots
  • Plastic pipettes (or straws with a larger diameter than the other set of straws)
  • Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
  • Scissors
  • Free Rocket Template

free rocket template

 

Directions for Making Straw Rockets

1. Print out the free rocket template. Color the rockets and cut them out.

 

how to make straw rockets

 

2. Cut the bottom off a plastic pipette and attach it to the back of a rocket using tape or glue dots. (We love having a stash of plastic pipettes at home. They’re so fun to use with painting and often come in handy for various science activities- like with our color arrays. And they’re super inexpensive!)

 

how to make straw rockets

 

If you don’t have any plastic pipettes handy, you can use a straw instead. (Just make sure this straw is wider than the other straw you’ll be using for launching.) Cut the straw to fit the length of the rocket and tape one end shut so it’s completely sealed. Attach it to your rocket with glue dots or tape.

 

making straw rockets

 

3. Slip a straw into your pipette, and you’re ready to launch!

 

science for kids: how to make straw rockets

 

4. Give your straw a big puff of air, and watch it take off!

 

launching homemade straw rockets

Extending the Straw Rockets Science Activity

  • How does the angle you launch your rocket affect the distance it travels? Try out different angles and record the results.
  • Can you design your own rockets to attach to the pipette or straw? Which designs work better?
  • Try adding another fin to your rocket with tape. How does it affect the flight of your rocket?

 

Science for Kids: Making Straw Rockets ~ BuggyandBuddy.com

STEM Activity for Kids: How to Make Straw Rockets (w/ Free Rocket Template)- Fun for a science lesson, outdoor play activity, or unit on space! ~ BuggyandBuddy.com


 

STEAM Kids: 50+ STEAM STEM activities for kids

 

Filed Under: 4th of July, Crafts for Kids, Elementary, Kindergarten, Printables, Quick & Easy, Science Tagged With: free printable, rocket, science

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Comments

  1. grace says

    June 18, 2015 at 4:21 pm

    what a fabulous idea! thank you!!!!

    Reply
    • esther says

      December 29, 2016 at 3:12 am

      what a fabulous thought! we enjoyed blowing it!!!!

      Reply
    • nancy says

      July 11, 2018 at 7:37 pm

      I can’t wait to try this idea with the children in my daycamp. I know it will attract all ages
      and not just 4-6 year olds. They gravitate to fun and different activities. so thank you
      again and keep up the great work!!!!!

      Reply
  2. Eric B says

    June 28, 2015 at 6:55 am

    Hey Hey!! We tried these with a BIG group of pre-K kids and had a blast. From customizing to cutting to final assembly and launch they were a hit.

    We found that most “restaurant” straws were slightly larger in diameter than standard grocery store straw and worked perfectly in tandem as rocket-straw and launch-straw for this project.

    We also had a LOT of fun folding the fins and the rocket itself (down the center-line) to improve the aerodynamics–often even achieving a gliding landing!! Big fun, thanks again for posting.

    Reply
    • Chelsey says

      June 28, 2015 at 10:36 am

      So glad you all enjoyed them!! I love the tips- thank you! Now we’ll have to try different folds and see how they affect our gliding and landing!

      Reply
      • kim says

        June 22, 2016 at 4:30 pm

        Did you print on regular computer paper or cardstock?

        Reply
        • Chelsey says

          June 22, 2016 at 5:17 pm

          They’ll definitely work better and last longer if printed on cardstock. 🙂

          Reply
      • Zulaika says

        March 25, 2018 at 4:21 pm

        Wow I think my students will love this. This week we are working on transportation and I am reading the book Zoom Rocket Zoom. to add to the reading I am going to show them how to make your rocket ship for science thank you so much. Sorry i did not introduce my self my name is Zulaika Reyes and I teach Pre K at Hobby Elementary school.

        Reply
        • Chelsey says

          March 26, 2018 at 10:28 am

          I love how you are using the rockets as an extension to your unit and book! Hope the kids enjoy! 🙂

          Reply
  3. Manin says

    September 23, 2015 at 7:15 am

    Hi !!

    Yesterday we read the book The Way Back Home from Oliver Jeffers to the class of my 5 years old daughter. After reading, they colored this little rockets and then I used a little roll of construction paper in the back instead of the pipettes.

    It was a hit with all the kids! boys and girls !!!
    And great activity for this book, which we LOVE.

    Thanks for this great idea! And I will keep update with your posts, you have awesome ideas for the kids!

    Saludos from Mexico! 🙂

    Reply
    • Chelsey says

      September 23, 2015 at 10:32 am

      That is the perfect book to accompany the straw rockets!! How fun! And I love your modification using the construction paper. That will be helpful to many readers- thank you so much for sharing!

      Reply
  4. Ranae says

    April 19, 2016 at 7:18 am

    Thank you for the template! Four kids had fun while their moms were learning English and I only had 10 minutes to prep activities.

    Reply
    • Chelsey says

      April 20, 2016 at 11:58 am

      Yay! So glad they enjoyed it! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Anonymous says

    June 2, 2016 at 7:12 pm

    Thanks for such a great project – all ready to go. My kids had a great time.

    Reply
  6. Bethio says

    July 19, 2016 at 7:02 pm

    I work as an ABA therapist and had about 30 minutes to come up with some space-themed activities to keep my client busy. Thanks for this idea–it worked great! It’s sometimes difficult to keep his attention, but this lasted off and on through a full 3.5-hour session! 🙂

    Reply
  7. Lisa says

    August 3, 2016 at 11:20 pm

    Thank you! My preschool class are going to love this tomorrow!

    Reply
  8. Judy Hoskin says

    August 16, 2016 at 7:24 pm

    Super idea. I need an easy, fairly quick, fun activity to do with groups of primary children – all ages. This was the first activity I checked and it’s just right! Much appreciated!

    Reply
  9. Stefanie Anderson says

    February 6, 2017 at 12:22 pm

    I used this idea at a library storytime this week, and the kids loved it! How do I get on your Trackbacks list?

    Reply
  10. Juli says

    April 24, 2017 at 2:03 pm

    Hey I just ordered a bunch of the plastic piplette. The ones that the link went to but I’m not sure what size straws?

    Reply
    • Chelsey says

      April 24, 2017 at 5:45 pm

      Hi Juli- Just regular size straws you’d buy at Target or your grocery store. You can use the normal plastic ones or paper. Have fun!

      Reply
  11. Alyssa says

    May 15, 2017 at 10:17 am

    What a great idea. I am featuring these if you don’t mind.

    Reply
  12. Anonymous says

    June 6, 2017 at 9:30 am

    What size Pipettes did you use? The link is no longer in amazon

    Reply
    • Chelsey says

      June 6, 2017 at 9:39 am

      Sorry about that! Just fixed it in the post. The pipettes were 3mL. http://amzn.to/2rxvNNH

      Reply
  13. Chris says

    June 6, 2017 at 10:25 am

    Love this idea! We used to make balloon rockets in my preschool science class, but are no longer allowed to use balloons. This is ingenious and I know the kids will love it. Thanks!

    Reply
  14. Nisha Raveenderen says

    June 23, 2017 at 2:00 am

    What an amazing idea! Thank you so much! I’m using it today in our kids’ meditation program (Sahaja Yoga).

    Reply
  15. Renee Schwartz says

    September 22, 2018 at 9:17 am

    What a fun idea! And the best part is you could do so many more things than just rockets if you wanted to. One idea I had was super heroes – well, the ones that can fly, anyway. Superman, Iron Man, etc.

    Reply
  16. Trish says

    October 10, 2018 at 4:30 pm

    I’ve made the rockets with my class and they were such a hit we’re going to make ghosts and bats for Halloween and see how far they can fly!

    Reply
    • Chelsey says

      October 15, 2018 at 3:49 pm

      Yay! That sounds so fun! I’d love to hear how it goes! 🙂

      Reply
  17. Jean Shea says

    December 7, 2018 at 6:01 am

    I love those added activities. You could make a table with them on a board and write down kids’ hypothesis before experimenting with different straw lengths and such.

    Reply
    • Chelsey says

      December 8, 2018 at 9:50 pm

      Love that idea!!

      Reply
  18. Karine says

    January 12, 2019 at 3:11 am

    Hi, Thank you so much for sharing the template. Made it easier for me and my son who had to do something related to space.

    Reply

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Welcome to Buggy and Buddy! I'm Chelsey, a former teacher and parent living on the central coast of California. I love sharing crafts, science, STEM and STEAM activities, free printables and more! Read More…

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