Astronaut Rockets
Cardboard rockets with an astronaut hiding in the window
The Set Up
Rockets cut from thick cardboard. About 20cm tall works well. Big enough to hold a proper collage but small enough to take home easily. Cut a round porthole window out of the body of each one. That's the space where the astronaut will eventually appear.
The astronaut is the star of this piece, and there are three ways we love to do it. Take an instant polaroid of each artist on the day and slot it behind the porthole. Print photos in advance if you've asked families for them. Or invite artists to draw themselves as an astronaut on a small piece of paper with oil pastels or paint sticks. The drawn version is our favourite because there's something completely gorgeous about a four-year-old's self-portrait in a space helmet, but the polaroid version is great too.
Lay out paint sticks, star stickers, holographic and metallic sticker sheets, pipe cleaners, tissue paper, beads, and sequins. We use paint sticks rather than liquid paint for these because cardboard doesn't love moisture and paint sticks dry instantly. Have scissors, glue sticks and PVA glue ready.
The Making
The decorating is where the personalities really come through. One rocket ended up covered in pink holographic stickers with silver pipe cleaners exploding out the base like fireworks. The artist had wrapped each pipe cleaner individually with beads so every single "flame" was different. She worked on it for almost a half-hour without looking up.
Pipe cleaners twisted together at the base of the rocket become the flames coming out of the thrusters, and this is the bit kids get really into. Red, orange, yellow, pink, blue. Twist them tight or leave them wild. Thread beads down them so the flames look like they're sparking.
When the decorating is done, glue or tape the portrait / photo behind the porthole window. The best!
Variations
Skip the porthole and make the whole astronaut the focal point. Big cardboard astronaut body shapes that artists decorate with their own features, spacesuit details, name badges.
Turn it into a family piece by having everyone in the family draw themselves as an astronaut (little siblings, parents, the dog) and pop them all behind portholes in a larger rocket with multiple windows.
Materials
Thick cardboard rockets, around 20cm tall, with a porthole pre-cut
Instant camera and polaroid film, or printed photos, or paper and oil pastels for self-portraits
Paint sticks
Star stickers, holographic stickers, metallic stickers
Pipe cleaners in fire colours (red, orange, yellow, pink, blue)
Beads for threading
Tissue paper and sequins
PVA glue or glue sticks
Scissors
Masking tape
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Astronaut Rockets
Cardboard rockets with an astronaut hiding in the window
Bookmark
Collage
The Set Up
Rockets cut from thick cardboard. About 20cm tall works well. Big enough to hold a proper collage but small enough to take home easily. Cut a round porthole window out of the body of each one. That's the space where the astronaut will eventually appear.
The astronaut is the star of this piece, and there are three ways we love to do it. Take an instant polaroid of each artist on the day and slot it behind the porthole. Print photos in advance if you've asked families for them. Or invite artists to draw themselves as an astronaut on a small piece of paper with oil pastels or paint sticks. The drawn version is our favourite because there's something completely gorgeous about a four-year-old's self-portrait in a space helmet, but the polaroid version is great too.
Lay out paint sticks, star stickers, holographic and metallic sticker sheets, pipe cleaners, tissue paper, beads, and sequins. We use paint sticks rather than liquid paint for these because cardboard doesn't love moisture and paint sticks dry instantly. Have scissors, glue sticks and PVA glue ready.
The Making
The decorating is where the personalities really come through. One rocket ended up covered in pink holographic stickers with silver pipe cleaners exploding out the base like fireworks. The artist had wrapped each pipe cleaner individually with beads so every single "flame" was different. She worked on it for almost a half-hour without looking up.
Pipe cleaners twisted together at the base of the rocket become the flames coming out of the thrusters, and this is the bit kids get really into. Red, orange, yellow, pink, blue. Twist them tight or leave them wild. Thread beads down them so the flames look like they're sparking.
When the decorating is done, glue or tape the portrait / photo behind the porthole window. The best!
Variations
Skip the porthole and make the whole astronaut the focal point. Big cardboard astronaut body shapes that artists decorate with their own features, spacesuit details, name badges.
Turn it into a family piece by having everyone in the family draw themselves as an astronaut (little siblings, parents, the dog) and pop them all behind portholes in a larger rocket with multiple windows.
Materials
Thick cardboard rockets, around 20cm tall, with a porthole pre-cut
Instant camera and polaroid film, or printed photos, or paper and oil pastels for self-portraits
Paint sticks
Star stickers, holographic stickers, metallic stickers
Pipe cleaners in fire colours (red, orange, yellow, pink, blue)
Beads for threading
Tissue paper and sequins
PVA glue or glue sticks
Scissors
Masking tape
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Thoughts?
Would love to hear if youv'e tried this or have any ideas on how to make it even better!
