This is a great craft idea that your kids will love to do together. It’s also very affordable. We got out all our supplies and created 3 different types of boats. It even became a science and engineering activity. You don’t need expensive toy boats that make noises or lights to keep your children entertained. Sometimes the most fun things are the easiest (remember when your kids preferred the cardboard box over the toy? The boats that we built from materials found around the house were fascinating to my kids. Our first boat was a little toy sailboat.
How to make Toy Boats with Wine Corks?
The corks can be simply attached to each other with small rubber bands. For little girls’ hair, I used small rubber bands. However, you can also use small rubber bands from the office. Use a toothpick to insert a cork in the middle and then cut a sail out of craft foam. You’re done! If you want, let the children decorate your sails with markers. The water will wash it away but it’s still fun. They can always redecorate next time. This one was blown across the river by the kids. They also enjoyed racing their boats along the “river”. A great investment is an under-bed storage box for water play outdoors, such as boats, sensory bins, holding water balloons and other water toys.
This will be our go-to toy boats all summer. My Hornbeck Boats 3-year-old daughter was able to build her boat and sail it with very little help. They’d be great in a large swimming or wading pool or even a summer puddle.
How to make Boats with Plastic Straws?
This fun and colorful straw boat was next. A large package of bendy straws was just $2.00. You can cut the straws to just below the bend. Then, wrap duct tape around the middle of the straws and place them on your table at the end of one of the straws. Continue placing straws until they reach the desired width. Keep straws flat by wrapping duct tape around them. It floats beautifully and can be used to stack small items on it to test its buoyancy.
We made aluminum foil boats. Do you remember the ones from your childhood? You can make them into any shape you like and they will float as long as your ends are sealed. To make our bottom look like a canoe, I flattened it. The kids had hours of fun with these 3 boats, and there was no remote control. These are simple pleasures, folks.