Make straw rockets

These simple straw rockets with fly far if you make them right.  Use the free printable and create your own straw rockets then do some test flights, just like NASA does.

What you need:

• plastic drinking straw
• 1 x FREE straw rocket printable template (makes two rockets)
• sicssors
• 1 x sheet of A4 paper
• sticky tape
• lead pencil

Number of players:

Activity:

Print the template onto a plain sheet of paper.  The template has two rockets on it.

Cut out all your pieces.

You will need one rocket body and two tailfins for each rocket.

To make the rocket body, curl the rocket body piece around a pencil, lengthways. Tape it together so that you have a narrow cylinder that will slot over your straw (your rocket launcher).

Make sure there are no air gaps as these will impede your rocket's speed when it comes time to launch.

Fold over one end of the rocket to make a pointy tip. Tape it down.

Now fold your tailfins on the dotted lines and attach them to the bottom of the rocket, one on each side of the cylinder (see video.)

Place your rocket onto the straw and blow into the straw. How far does your rocket go? Can you make it go faster or higher?  How can you  make it go higher? How can you make it go faster? 

See? These are all the things NASA scientists have to think about when they make a real rocket.

• Thanks to our sister company Kidspot Australia for creating the instructional video.