You can use these colorful craft stick patriotic rockets as a jumping off point to research the history of fireworks for a fun learning activity. Or tie it into a history lesson about the meaning of Independence Day.
Just grab some basic supplies from your local dollar store and make these fun craft stick patriotic rockets with the kids. A quick and easy craft, this is perfect for the 4th of July or other patriotic occasions. You can make these rockets in about half an hour. Since they’re so inexpensive to make, these are a great group craft project too.
DOLLAR STORE CRAFT STICK PATRIOTIC ROCKETS
Not in the US? Switch the colors to match your country or just put out an assortment of colors and let the kids choose what they’d like to use for their rockets.
Materials needed:
- Craft Sticks, Jumbo
- Craft Foam, Red, White, Blue – You can also use construction paper, colored cardstock, or craft felt for this project.
- Balloon Weight, Red, White, and Blue
- Glitter Glue, Silver
- Wooden Stars
- Glue Gun and Glue Sticks – You can use liquid craft glue for this project instead, but you will have to wait for it to dry.
- Acrylic Craft Paint – Red, White, Blue
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
- Pencil
- PATTERNS FOR CRAFT STICK ROCKETS
Instructions:
STEP ONE
Gather all supplies. To create each rocket base, line up four jumbo craft sticks on your work surface. Using scissors, trim additional jumbo craft sticks to the width of the rocket and attach with a glue gun and glue sticks. Repeat two more times to make three rockets.
STEP TWO
Basecoat the front and sides of the first rocket with white acrylic craft paint and the second with blue acrylic craft paint, and the third with red acrylic craft paint. Let dry, and apply a second coat, if necessary.
Base coat the front and sides of two wooden stars with white acrylic craft paint, two with blue acrylic craft paint, and two with red acrylic craft paint. Let dry, and apply a second coat, if necessary. Or use the star patterns provided.
STEP THREE
Download and print the ROCKET PATTERN, and cut out the pattern with scissors. Using a pencil, trace the rocket top onto red, white, and blue craft foam once. Cut out all patterns with scissors.
Attach the blue top and the white stars to the red rocket with a glue gun and glue sticks. Glue the red top and blue stars to the red rocket. Glue the white top and the red stars to the blue rocket.
STEP FOUR
Apply a layer of silver glitter glue to the six stars on the three rockets. Accent the top of the rocket with silver glitter glue patterns, such as polka dots, wavy lines, and straight lines. Set aside to let glitter glue dry.
STEP FIVE
Separate the wired stars and the tinsel from a red, white, and blue balloon weight. Cut the tinsel into three sections that are approximately 2” long each. Cut the wired stars into nine sections, approximately 5” to 6” long each.
This will become the rocket flames.
STEP SIX
Measure and cut the 12” lengths of tinsel into two sets that are 6” long each. Attach the loose tinsel pieces to the tinsel base with a glue gun and glue sticks. Then glue the three lengths of wired stars to the top of the tinsel base. Bend the wire ends over so no sharp edges are exposed. Repeat with the other two rocket flames.
STEP SEVEN
To finish, attach the rocket flames to the bottom back center of each rocket with a glue gun and glue sticks.
