Here’s a boat craft for kids that will help your kids’ imaginations set sail! We made it after reading the book Bunny Overboard. Have you read it yet? Ooh, you’re going to love it. Here’s our full review.
This sailboat craft is easy to make and super fun to decorate. Kids can choose the color of their sails; decorate the masts using crayons, markers, bits of paper, and glittery embellishments; and have their toy figurines come aboard for an ultimate pretend adventure!
The best part of this DIY paper plate boat craft? You likely have all the needed art supplies in your home already. Ahoy captain!
To tackle this easy boat project, you’ll need:
- Paper plate (a styrofoam plate will also work)
- White sheet ofpaper
- Colored paper (or crayons/makers to color your paper)
- Empty toilet paper roll
- Popsicle stick
- Ruler
- Hole punch
- Paint and paintbrush (and your adult; we used orange)
- Glue (and your adult)
- Scissors (and your adult)
- Stapler (and your adult)
- Embellishments (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOW TO MAKE A PAPER SAILBOAT FOR KIDS:
- Cut the paper plate in half
- Hold both plates together so they fit inside each other. Use the ruler to measure 3-inches from the rough edge toward the curve edge. Cut the excess off. (See 1:00 mark in video)
- Now hold the pieces together so they form the bottom of the boat; there should be an elongated hole at the bottom (see 1:35 mark in video)
- Secure each side with two staples (See 1:38 mark in video)
- Paint the outside of the plate then set aside
- Stand the empty toilet paper roll on the white paper and trace the outside to make a circle that will be used as the floatation device; draw a smaller circle inside it (see 3:10 mark in video). Cut along the edge of the bigger circle
- Draw lines inside the floatation device and color them in so that the flotation device looks more true to life (see 3:21 mark in video)
- Place the empty toilet paper roll inside the boat bottom — the long way — so that it keeps your boat steady (see 3:52 mark in video); set aside
- Grab the colored paper and fold it into a triangle to form the sail (see 4:00 mark in video); use your ruler to quickly trim off the excess (or cut with a scissor if preferred)
- Insert a popsicle stick into the loose end of the colored paper and glue it in (see 4:22 mark in video)
- Use the hole punch to make holes along a stretch of the left over white paper; these will be used to decorate your sail
- Glue your white pieces of paper to the sail (you can also make these in different colors or use embellishments)
- Draw a thin line on the empty toilet paper through which you will insert the popsicle stick and affix the sail. Use the scissors to cut the slit — careful to slowly make it bigger through trial and error — keep in mind that if the slit is too wide it won’t securely hold the sail (see 5:50 mark in video)
- Glue the floatation device to the side of the boat
Did you make this boat craft for kids yet? Please show me your photos on Facebook!
