Make A Balloon Powered Car

It’s the penultimate week of the Maped Helix Summer Super Stars campaign. Hang in there parents – it’s almost time to send the kids back to school!

We’ve had some amazing entries throughout the campaign with hundreds of children using their favourite Maped Helix products to demonstrate their creative flair.

Don’t forget to post your creations by either commenting on our latest competition post on Facebook (@MapedHelix) or by tagging us in on Instagram (@maped_helix) for a chance to win amazing prizes, including stationery bundles and Alton Towers tickets. Find out more about the competition and how to enter here.

This week your challenge is to make a balloon powered car. Let us know how you get on!

Steps

Step 1

Gather your materials and get ready to start!

A check list of materials on top of various stationery laying on a desk

Step 2

First off, decorate your plastic bottle by gluing coloured paper or card to the outside.

Small sequins or feathers would also work well.

A pair of hands applying glue to a plastic bottle, with paper confetti laying on a desk

Step 3

Use scissors to cut two pieces of wooden skewer to size, approximately 2.5cm longer than the width of the bottle on each side.

A pair of hands cutting a wooden skewer with scissors

Step 4

Cut two pieces of straw to approximately 1cm wider than the bottle on each side.

A pair of hands cutting a paper straw with scissors

Step 5

Ask an adult for help with this bit.

Use a small screwdriver or a knitting needle to pierce a hole in the centre of four bottle caps.

Thread a skewer through the hole in the bottle cap, followed by a straw and another bottle cap on the opposite end to create the axels and wheels.

Repeat the process with another skewer.

A pair of hands threading a wooden skewer through a plastic bottle top

Step 6

Glue both sets of wheels to the underside of your bottle approximately 2.5cm from the top and bottom.

Top tip: use the ridges in the bottle if there are some.

A hand holding a decorated plastic bottle and a screwdriver

Step 7

On the top of the bottle make a hole approximately halfway, then poke your other straw through the hole and out of the bottle neck.

A hand threading a paper straw through the neck of a plastic bottle

Step 8

Using an elastic band, attach a balloon to the straw coming out of the top of the bottle

A hand attaching a balloon to the plastic bottle using an elastic band

Step 9

Blow up the balloon through the straw.

Place your thumb over the end of the straw to trap the air then, when you’re ready, let go and watch your car whizz across the floor!

We hope you enjoyed making this fantastic balloon powered car! How far did yours go?

Don’t forget to take a photo of your creation and tag us on Instagram or comment on the competition post on Facebook to enter our weekly Summer Super Stars giveaway!

Weekly prizes, including a chance to win Alton Towers tickets, are listed on our social channels – and there’s also the opportunity to win a Micro Scooter if you complete at least three of the six challenges. You can find our terms and conditions here.

Check the Maped Helix website and social media channels next Tuesday for our final craft idea of the holidays.

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