If it’s a warm day these boats can be raced in a paddling pool but would work just as well in a washing up bowl or the bath. They’re also very easy to make if you have a few spare corks lying about.
What you’ll need:
- Several corks (at least 2 per boat)
- Elastic band (or hair bobble)
- Cocktail sticks/barbecue skewers
- A material for the sails – we used the slightly waterproof paper that stickers are stuck to
- Pens for decorating (optional)
What to do:
- Put 2-3 similar sized corks together and secure with an elastic band
- Push the cocktail stick/barbecue skewer into the middle cork
- Decorate the sail (optional)
- Make two small holes about a centimetre from the top and the bottom in the middle of the sail
- Push the sail through the cocktail stick to attach it to the corks
Hints and tips:
- The boat with 2 corks was a lot less stable than the one with 3 corks but it still worked. The 2 cork boat also included a champagne cork which was a different shape. Older children could experiment to see how different numbers and types of corks float.
- Paper works well for the sail because it is light by put ripped once wet, so slightly waterproof paper lasted a bit longer. You could experiment with different types of sails. Laminated paper would be ideal.
- We used glass colouring pens to decorate the sails as normal pens rub off.
- You can race the boats just by blowing at them or by using a straw to blow through
Recycle and Reimagine 