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STEM Project: Cardboard Tube Rocket Blaster

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Have some cardboard tubes lying around?  I have the perfect cardboard tube craft for you!  This little cardboard tube rocket blaster is a BLAST!  😉 (Pun intended!) It is a great STEM project to learn about gravity and trajectory.

STEM Project: Cardboard Tube Rocket Launcher

This activity idea came from the book This is Rocket Science by Emma Vanstone who writes over at the fabulous website Science Sparks. This fun book has 70 fun solar system themed experiments and activities. There are 160 pages of full color pictures and science explanations for each topic. It is a FUN book for any science lovers out there.

cardboard tube rocket blaster stem project for kids

Now to the activity. . .

How to Make the Cardboard Tube Rocket Blaster

Supplies:

rocket science launcher supplies

2 cardboard tubes that fit inside of each other- each about 12 inches long
1 Rubber Band
Cardstock or plastic lid to fit the top of the inner tube
Tape
Stickers or Markers for Decoration
Screwdriver to make holes in the tubes
Pom-poms

Start by cutting down the cardboard tubes to be the same size~ about 12 inches each. I used a wrapping paper roll and a mailing tube for our rocket launcher.

Cut the rubber band apart.

Cover the end of the smaller, inner tube with a piece of cardboard, or glue on a plastic lid. The hole just needs to be covered.

On the smaller tube, make two holes around the center using a screw driver. Make two holes in the larger tube through both sides about an inch from the bottom. You want the holes to line up on both tubes to thread the rubber band through. Make sure there is a good amount of the smaller tube hanging out the bottom when the holes are lined up.

rocket blaster rocket science

Thread the rubber band through. This part was tricky, We ended up using a pair of tweezers!

Attach the rubber bands to the outer tube with some tape.

rocket launcher

Decorate it!  Use stickers, paint markers, or whatever you want to make it fancy.

Test it out!  Put in some pom-poms, pull back the smaller tube and let go.

See More of My Rocket STEM Projects!

Ribbon Rocket
Gravity Rocket Spinner
Film Canister Rockets
Bottle Rockets
Bathtub Bottle Rockets

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