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How to Build a Moving Toy Car

Get your kids involved in making their own toys with this fun and easy rubber band propeller car project. It's an easy project for rainy days or just for something fun to do. It's also educational. Your children will have fun and learn something new without even realizing it.

Things You'll Need

1 coat hanger
1 Styrofoam block, 2-by-4-by-8 inches
1 triangular foam block, 2-by-4 inches
2 large straws
4 large buttons
2 eye-screw hooks
Wood dowel, 1 1/4-inch
Hot glue gun
Wire pliers
Rubber bands
Scissors
Model airplane propeller (inexpensive balsa glider or foam glider type)

Instructions

- 1
  Cut two 6-inch straight pieces from the hanger using your pliers.
- 2
  Cut the straws into two 5-inch sections.
- 3
  Glue the two straw pieces across the bottom of the Styrofoam block, positioning one near the front and one near the back. Allow the glue to dry.
- 4
  Poke the end of a piece of the hanger wire into a hole in one of the buttons and bend it up with the pliers to hold the wheel. Insert this wire into the rear straw section and attach a button on the end. Bend the wire up to hold the wheel in place.
- 5
  Repeat step 4 to install the front wheels. For a race-car look, you can use smaller buttons in front.
- 6
  Hot glue the foam triangle slightly in front of the rear wheels with the pointed edge facing front and allow the glue to dry.
- 7
  Push the wooden dowel into foam block at an angle behind the front wheels. Hot glue the dowel's other end to the middle of the foam triangle. Make sure to leave it sticking out past the end of the triangle.
- 8
  Glue the propeller cap to the end of the dowel and allow the glue to dry completely before attaching the eye hook. Allow the glue to dry completely.
- 9
  Install the eye hook at the front by gently screwing it into the dowel. Slip the rubber band into the hook and stretch it up and slip the end onto the propeller hook.
- 10
  Wind the propeller and watch it go.

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