Instructions:
The following instructions will give you a starting point for creating the car. Your
child has already made a simple car at school. He or She will be able to design the
car with a little help from you. (Your child may use the one from school in case
another cannot be made.)
4 straws bend (1 that bends)
material for body/chassis
skewers for axles
4 wheels (see below for ideas)
1. Using Cardboard as the Body

For your car's wheels, use four plastic lids from soft drink or water bottles and
drill a hole in each lid. Make sure the hole is large enough for a bamboo skewer to
fit through. (old CD’s, spools of thread, cardboard – many items can be used.)

Use scissors to cut a straw in half. Take thick corrugated cardboard and make a
15-by-10cm rectangular shape, which will serve as the car's body (this is where
you can get creative – use a tissue box designed to look like a skate, or a bleach
bottle that looks like a pig – GO WILD!!!!)

At one end of the cardboard, across the shorter side, use masking tape to tape
half of the straw. Tape the straw's other half at the other end.

To construct your car's axles, weave one skewer through each half-straw. Weave
the lids onto the skewers and use playdough or modeling clay or used gum to
keep the lids securely in place. (depending on what you use for your wheels – you
may not need to use clay)
2. Getting the Balloon Ready
o
Once you have the wheels in place, stretch your balloon's rubber by blowing it up a
couple of times and letting it down. Take a bendable straw and cut its long part so it's
the same length as its short part. Put the balloon's neck over one end of the bendable
straw and tape it in place. (You can use duct tape/electrical tape etc.)
Flip the cardboard over and tape the bendable straw along the car's length; the
balloon should rest on the cardboard, with the straw poking over the other end. To
inflate your balloon, blow through the straw and squeeze, so air does not escape prior
to letting your car go. When you're ready to run your balloon car, put it on a smooth
surface, with nothing in its way, and let it go.
There are two VERY helpful youtube videos that can guide you.
First go to:
www.youtube.com
In the search box type:
Balloon powered car
To see a video of an actual race, go to: www.youtube.com
In the search box type: Balloon Powered Racecar Project
When you type in the search box, you will see several videos listed, you should watch the video with the
name as it appears above.