Make a Toy Car
Making toy cars is a fun and easy project that you can do at home. It’s also a fun activity where you can bond with your children or get in touch with your inner child. You most likely have all the materials you need lying around the house already. Instead of buying a new toy car, consider making your own.
Contents
Steps
Making a Car with a Plastic Bottle
- Clean the plastic bottle. Take the label off the bottle. Let the bottle soak in hot water and dish soap for ten minutes. This will make it easier to remove any residue left on the bottle as well as cleaning off any bacteria.
- Drill the two holes into each side of the bottle. These holes will be where the axles will go. The holes should be parallel with each other.
- Find your axles. You can use a variety of objects for your axles: straws, sticks, toothpicks, or wire (like that from a wire hanger), etc. If the object is long, like a pencil, then you will only need two pieces. If it is short, like a toothpick, then you will need four pieces.
- Gather four bottle caps. You will use these caps as your wheels.
- Paint the car and wheels. You can paint the outside of the bottle and the wheels. It’s easier to paint bottle and bottle caps before you fully assemble the car.
- Place the axles into the plastic bottle. Depending on the material you chose, this might be two or four axles. For a longer object, run the axle all the way through the set of holes on the other side. For a shorter object, like a toothpick, place one in each hole.
- Drill a hole into the lid. Knot a string and then thread it through the lid. Make sure the knot is on the inside of the lid. Screw the lid onto the plastic bottle.
- Cut the top of the bottle to make a windshield. Using a sharp object like a box cutter, cut a rectangle or square into the top of the bottle. Only cut three sides of the shape so that you can fold it up. Cut it so that when you flip it up the windshield faces the lid of the bottle.
- Drill a hole through each of the four plastic lids. Using a drill or sharp object, create a hole in the center of the lids.
- Place the bottle caps onto the axles of the car. Run the axles through the holes you drilled in the bottle caps. See how the car sits. If the lids are too big or too small, then the car may not move. Have the top of the lids face the car so that it has more stability.
- Use the string to pull the car. If you don’t want to use the string, then you can push the car to make it move.
Making a Car with a Milk Carton
- Find four bottle caps. Poke holes into the caps with a sharp object like a box cutter, a pair of scissors, or a knife. The caps will be your wheels.
- Place two bamboo skewers on a milk carton. Cut the skewers so that they are slightly longer than the width of the milk carton. The skewers will act as the axles for the car. If you want the axles to run through the milk carton, take this time to puncture two parallel holes on each side of the carton.
- Push one end of the skewers through bottle caps. Make sure the top of the lid is facing towards the milk carton as this provides better stability. Use glue where the skewer and cap meet to make it sturdier. Be sure to let the glue dry before proceeding.
- Place straws on the skewers. Slide the free end of each skewer through a straw. Cut the straws down until they are slightly shorter than the skewer. Having the skewers inside of the straw will make your car move faster.
- Push the skewers through the remaining bottle caps. If you punctured holes in the milk carton, run the free end of the skewer through the holes before adding the other wheel. This completes your axles.
- Tape the axles horizontally across the milk carton. They should be parallel to the width of the carton.
- Customize the car. Use construction paper, paint, or markers to decorate the carton. You can also cut shapes into the milk carton to give it character.
Making a Balloon Car
- Measure and cut a piece of cardboard. The piece should measure 8 cm by 10 cm. Take a piece of measuring tape and trace the measurements onto the cardboard using a pen or a pencil. Use a box cutter the cut along the traced line.
- Drill a hole into 4 plastic lids. Using a drill or sharp object, create a hole in the center of the lids. These will create the wheels for the car.
- Cut a straight straw in half. Take each half of the straw and tape them horizontally across the cardboard piece. Make sure the straws are parallel to the width of the cardboard piece.
- Run a skewer through each of the straws. The skewers will act as your axles.
- Attach the lids to the skewers. Make sure that the top of the bottle cap is facing towards the cardboard. This will prevent the lid from catching on the cardboard.
- Cut the flexible drinking straw in half. Make sure the pieces are of equal length. Discard the part of the straw that doesn’t bend.
- Stretch the balloon. Inflate and deflate the balloon a few times to stretch the rubber.
- Secure the balloon to the flexible drinking straw with a rubber band. Place the elastic part of the balloon over one side of the straw. Take a rubber band and wrap it over the elastic part of the balloon with the straw inside.
- Blow into the straw to test if the rubber band is tight enough. No air should be able to escape the balloon.
- Tape the balloon and straw to the cardboard piece. Flip the cardboard piece over so that the axles are on the bottom. Place the balloon and straw on the cardboard, parallel to the length of the piece. Make sure the end of the straw is hanging over the edge of the cardboard. Tape the end of the straw to the cardboard.
- Blow into the straw. Pick the car up and blow into the balloon through the straw. Pinch the straw so that no air escapes it. Place the car on a flat surface and let go of the straw. The air will escape the balloon and push the car.
- You may have to straighten the wheels a few times to get the best movement.
Things You’ll Need
- Plastic bottle
- Drill
- 4 Bottle caps
- Two straight straws
- One flexible straw
- Two bamboo skewers
- A regular sized balloon
- Tape
- Rubber band
- A piece of cardboard
- Measuring tape
- Box Cutter
- Scissors
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