Science for Kids - Straw Rockets

These straw rockets are very easy to make and great fun. You can make them plain or theme in different ways. We’ve made Pterodactyls and rockets!

They’re also a fantastic introduction to forces, gravity and trajectory!

Don’t forget I also have a book filled with rocket and space science experiments for kids. This IS Rocket Science is available from Amazon in the UK and book stores in America.

Straw Rocket Materials

There are two ways to make these, you can either use a wide straw as the rocket part ( sealed with tape at one end ) or use paper sealed at three ends so the open end fits over the straw.

Straw
Paper
Tape

Wide straw
Normal Straw
Sellotape
Paper
Card
Paper clips
Felt tip pens

How to make a straw rocket

Paper version

Cut a small strip of paper, fold in half and seal the top and long side opposite the fold with tape.

This should fit loosely over the top of your straw.

Place it over the straw and blow, it should shoot into the air!

Decorate if you want!

Straw Version

Cut the wider straw so you have a segment about one third the length of your normal width straw.

Completely seal one end of the wide straw with sellotape so no air can pass through it. Check this by blowing down the straw, does any air escape?

Draw a picture of a rocket or other space object on a piece of paper and use sellotape ( double sided works best ) to attach to the wider straw.

Place the wider straw onto one end of the normal straw and blow!

Watch your rocket fly!

Try pointing the straw at different angles and blowing harder/less hard to see how the flight of the rocket changes.

Why does this happen?

When you blow air down the straw it travels to the end and pushes its way out, taking the rocket straw segment with it as it moves. The harder you blow into the straw the more energy the air has and the further your rocket will fly!

Change the trajectory

What happens to your straw rocket if you point it straight up? How far does it fly? Does it fly differently if you point it horizontally?

There are two forces acting on the straw rocket. Gravity is pulling it down while the force from you blowing the straw is pushing it forward. These two forces combined give a curved movement. A real rocket needs to overcome the gravitational force downwards.

Extension Activity

Add some weight to your straw rocket and see if that affects how far it travels, you could use cardboard instead of paper for the rocket or add paper clips!

Make lots of different themes for your straw shooters, Red Ted Art has some beautiful summer themed straw shooters!