juice box boats
My kids are always playing their own version of the game "Sink or Float". We fill up a plastic bin with water in the backyard and they run around looking for things to test. For example: buttons, postcards, leaves, rubber bands, small rocks, popsicle sticks, keys, bouncy balls, pez dispensers, etc.
Did you know juice boxes float? Turns out they make excellent little boats. If you read Parents magazine, you may have already seen these boats in their August issue.
To make your own juice box boat, follow these easy steps. 1. Cover an empty juice box's straw hole with tape. 2. Cut a 4" high by 3" wide triangular sail from a Tyvek envelope (I used an old USPS Priority Mail envelope). Decorate the sail with colored tape and make a little flag. 3. Push a small wooden skewer through both sides of the box so that it sticks out underneath about an inch or so. 4. Use tape to attach your sail to the skewer.
We've made several versions of these boats this summer. We take them down to the little creek that runs through the regional park nearby and see how far they can sail without tipping over. (If your boat seems especially tippy, cut a narrow slit in the top and slide in a few pennies.) Happy sailing!
08.9.2009
Reader Comments (32)
Those are amazing. How fun!
so cute!
I saw this project from you in parenting magazine!! That is how I was introduced to your blog, love it! This is such a cute idea too. Keep up the great work :)
Now I know how to spend Thursdays "little boy" playdate x
My sisters kept asking me if you were featured in Parents. You are getting to be quite famous. Seriously - when are you starting on the book?
What a great idea, they are adorable!
These are so cool! i'm always looking for craft ideas for our playgroup, and this would be perfect. Will start saving up boxes for our next meeting...
What a great idea! I'll use it next time one of my 5 nephews comes over :)
this is such a cute idea!
oh, that is adorable!
joanna - simple blueprint
My son will so dig this. I always feel guilty about tossing the juice boxes out and the waste of that...but finding something to do with at least some of those boxes pleases me immensely--thank you.
Hi Brooke! Love your blog. Please do let us know where you got the cool tape or who makes the tape (what kind of tape). I'll be making some of these boats to float on the pool this weekend...weather permitting and maybe we'll have a little boat race. :)
Hi Joy,
I think any colored tape would work. I used electrical tape I found at the hardware store because it is water resistant. I think colored duct tape or masking tape would work well too. Good luck!
Awesome - totally doing this with my little boys - thanks!!
darling. will have to do this. I've been loving recycling boxes and just leaving them as is, enjoying the original design juxtaposed with their new use (my computer is sitting on a converted tide box that i was going to cover...but kind of like it as is...crazy). fun stuff.
Thanks for this great idea. My 6 year old is trying out his boat in the bath in the middle of the afternoon! He has however filled the box with water to make a submarine...so now we have very soggy paper sails!
I LOVE this idea! And I love your blog! Thanks for all the great ideas! I'm sending my first little man off to Kindergarten next week too! {sniff, sniff}.
I believe we'll have ourselves a Bathtub Regatta tonight! What a great idea! Thanks for passing it along.
such a great idea!!!
love it, how great!