This is a fun activity that you can take to a bathtub, sink or bin filled with water. Decorate a few cleaned plastic con...
This is a fun activity that you can take to a bathtub, sink or bin filled with water. Decorate a few cleaned plastic containers and glue them together to make a boat shape. Then, add a small piece of plastic, popsicle sticks and an elastic to the back, wind it up and watch the boat propel itself forward! How far will your boat go?
Books to explore: Boats Are Busy by Sara Gillingham, Boats by Anne Rockwell, and Good Night Boats by Adam Gamble and Mark Jasper.
Play for longer. This activity is open-ended to doing it anywhere, like a sink, bathtub or swimming pool.
Off to the races. Extend this activity by creating two boats and having them race each other!
What you'll need
- 2 small yogurt cups
- Medium-sized rectangular plastic container
- 2 Popsicle sticks
- Hot glue
- Super glue
- Duct tape
- Acrylic paint
- Paintbrush
- Elastic band
- Bath tub, sink, or large plastic container
- Water
Step by step
Step 1
Super glue a popsicle stick to either side of your medium-sized rectangular plastic container, having them stick out 2-3 inches from the back. Reinforce the sticks with duct tape.
Step 2
Hot glue the lid to the container.
Step 3
Hot glue the small yogurt cup upside down onto the lid of the rectangular container. Let dry.
Step 4
While the glue is drying, take the second yogurt cup and cut a large square the width of the boat if possible. On one side, cut two slits approximately one inch apart, going halfway down the square.
Step 5
Decorate the boat with paint. Let dry
Step 6
Weave an elastic band over the popsicle sticks and through the plastic square. TIP: The plastic square needs to be long enough to touch the water.
Step 7
Fill a bath, sink or large container with water.
Step 8
Place the boat in the water and wind up the plastic piece. Let it go and watch the boat move itself forward!
More ideas
️ For older preschoolers: Involve your kiddo more in the construction of the boat.
️ For younger toddlers: An adult will need to do most of the construction, with the kiddos contributing most to the decoration.
Playful questions
What types of boats are there?
Have you ever been on a boat?
Where would you want to go on a boat?
How does a boat float on the water?
What will happen if we wind the plastic the opposite way?
Learning outcomes
Cognition
Self regulation
Monitoring own behavior