Looking for a fun way to recycle toilet paper tubes? Check out this great, kid-friendly tp roll craft: Rolling Race Cars that actually move!
There are so many fun, kid-friendly crafts you can make with toilet paper tubes, including these super fun, really rolling, race cars! The coolest thing about these race cars is that they really do roll! My kids had such a blast making and playing with them!
Fortunately, the cars are fairly easy to create and they are made from items that you most likely already have around your home!
Supplies:
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* empty toilet paper tubes
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* hole puncher
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* bottle tops (recycled from plastic jugs)
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* drinking straw
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* thumb tack
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* toothpicks
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* acrylic paint (optional)
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* paint brush (optional)
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* glue gun (optional – see Helpful Hint below)
Once you have gathered all of your supplies, it’s time to get to work on making these super fun race cars! This is a fun craft for children and adults alike! So, be sure to not only involve your kids/students, but perhaps create your own race car as well!
Instructions:
First, paint the toilet paper tube. This step is completely optional, but in my opinion the cars are much more fun to make and use when they are personalized with paint!
Once the tp tube is dry, use a craft knife and cut a square in the tube so that there is a “seat” for the driver.
Next, use a hole puncher to punch four holes near the bottom of the tube to hold the “axle.”
Cut the drinking straw. You will need two 2-inch pieces. Slide one toothpick into each piece of the drinking straw. Insert the “axle” (straw and toothpick) through the punched holes.
Next use the thumb tack to poke a hole in the center of each of the bottle tops (wheels).
After making the hole, push the toothpick into the hole so that the wheels are attached to the car. Repeat for the second set of wheels and there you have it…a rollin’ race car!
It’s almost time to test out the race cars! Initially we stopped here and began playing with our cars. But, it didn’t take long before the wheels started coming off. Check out the helpful hint below to see how we solved this problem.
Helpful Hint: To avoid having the tires come off, you may want to secure the wheels. I used the glue gun and put a bit of glue inside the bottle top where the toothpick poked through. This held the tires on really well and our race car fun could continue!!!
I got this cool idea from a Family Fun magazine at the doctor’s office.
Have a race car fan? Be sure to check out my FREE printable Racing Racecars Game that helps with number recognition and counting with a die!
Looking for more crafts for kids? Be sure to check out some of my other crafts using recycled materials!
This post was originally published on November 8, 2009.
Pumpkin Math Grid Game
Angela
I made these for preschool, but I don’t understand how to keep the wheels on? the whole toothpick keeps coming out of the straw. I tried hot glueing the toothpick, but that of course prevented the wheel from spinning (not such a fun car) What do you do??
Mama Jenn
Hi Angela! If I recall correctly, I did end up adding a dab of hot glue on some of our cars to help hold the toothpick in the bottle cap. You only want to glue the toothpick to the cap (not the straw) and leave a bit of wiggle room so that the straw is still mobile. Basically, the dab of glue would go on the outside of the cap to hold the toothpick in place. Hopefully that makes sense!
lav
cool
Mama Jenn
Thx!
lav
cool
Mama Jenn
Thanks Diane! My boys STILL love making and playing with these!
Diane S
This is really adorable and I’m certain my son will have lots of fun making this with me and, of course, playing with them afterwards! Thank you
Katherine Ann Gibbs McCoy
This is a wonderful project to make. I made this with my grandson who is 6 and loves playing with it! Now I have to make 2 more for his sisters…
Katherine Ann Gibbs McCoy
This is a fun craft to make with my 6 year old grandson…he loves it!
Mama Jenn
I love it when stuff happens “by accident”! 😉 Glad the craft is what you were looking for!
Jennifer Ruth Clark
Looking for a car craft and stumbled on to your blog by “accident”. :p Love it! I’m a home schooling mom, and we are having our 5th child in the fall. I love it when God leads me to a page. 🙂 The craft is just what I was looking for too, thanks!
Coca Asan
They are so cute! We made them, too. Thank you !!
Love and Lollipops
Such a super idea! I love that it really works and that it need a little thought – nice for an older child!
Anonymous
Jenn
I am a Cub Scout Leader and wanted to make a TP car with my Tiger Scouts I have been saving rolls and milk jug lids for months. I just needed the how to instructions to put it all together. Thank you so much for this easy project. The Scouts are going to love it
Marcia
great idea–thanks for sharing
Marcia
Anonymous
Jenn
I am a Cub Scout Leader and wanted to make a TP car with my Tiger Scouts I have been saving rolls and milk jug lids for months. I just needed the how to instructions to put it all together. Thank you so much for this easy project. The Scouts are going to love it
sharon
I love your blog, and this idea. My son, 3 asked to make cars using toilet roll but I never thought of this really workable wheels. He loves wheels and I am gonna try doing this soon! thanks!
Amazing how you could plan, and still play with your sets of twins!
jen
Love this since I don’t have to go buy anything to do this! Tomorrow’s our first day of summer, so maybe we should do it then! Thanks!
jennwa
Super fun. That would be fun for kids and adults to make. I love crafts you can play with. Thanks for sharing.
Amy
What a fun and cute idea. If you want I would love for you to come show this off at my Round Robin. Have a great day..
Sherry
What a great project and they look SOO CUTE! I dont have a boy, but I may make it with my little girl anyways 🙂
Sarah
This is awesome! Love your ideas 🙂 My girls will ove making cars of their own…and they are pretty competitive so racing will be intersting! Thanks for linking to KFF. Enjoy your weekend~
Milk and Honey Mommy
Jenn,
We’ll be making these too. All three of my children will love the cars. They are very creative.
Milk and Honey Mommy
Jenn,
We’ll be making these too. All three of my children will love the cars. They are very creative.
Nicole {tired, need sleep}
This is so awesome! M will love it – we’ll definitely be doing this sometime soon!
Ticia
Super duper fun, I love this idea. Now a different reason to start collecting bottle caps.
care-in
So cute!