Patriotic Craft: Paper Roll Rockets & Firecrackers

Fire rockets and fireworks are a huge part of celebrating past battles won. They also work well to remind children that celebrations mean great sacrifices have been made”¦and that God often helps us to work hard and earn our right to celebrate!

Materials

– Empty toilet-paper or paper towel rolls, one or two for each student
– Red-white-and-blue wrapping paper, or craft paper in several designs
– Red and blue plain craft or wrapping paper
– Saran wrap
– White or silver curling ribbon
– Red-white-and-blue candies of your choice
– Drinking glass
– Pencil
– Scissors
– Stick glue
– Craft glue

Preparation

1. The tops of the rockets are made out of circles. As circles are hard for children to cut, you can cut them out yourself. Take a tall drinking glass and make circles on the red and blue plain paper.

2. After cutting the circles, cut a straight line up to the center of the circle.

3. To finish the rocket tops for smaller children, overlap the cut edges of the circle, which will pull the paper in to form the cone shape of the rocket top. Lay a line of stick glue between the layers and allow it to dry.

4. Cut off four pieces of curling ribbon the length of your arm for each student.

Instructions

1. Cut the wrapping paper to the length and width of the toilet-paper roll, plus an added inch to the width

2. Run a line of stick glue down one side of the toilet-paper roll and fit the paper to it. Add more glue to the back of the paper before laying the overlapping paper on it.

3. Cover one rim of the covered toilet-paper roll with craft glue

4. Place the rocket cone on top, spinning it slightly to make sure the craft glue holds well.

5. To make the bag for the candy, rip off a piece of Saran wrap into a square. Place the candy in the center, and pull up the sides.

6. Tie three of the ribbons around the center of one ribbon. Tie the solo ribbon around the candy bag, down near the candy to prevent spilling.

7. Curl all four ribbons and stick the candy bag inside the tube, allowing the ribbons to hang out the bottom like rocket fire.

Conclusion

Proverbs 12:24 says, “The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.” Defending our country is the hardest work that’s ever been done for us. If our soldiers had not been diligent, we might not be here today, getting ready to go to picnics and celebrations tomorrow.

To finish this craft, write the name of a soldier who is in your family, your family history, or a friend’s family, so you can remember to be thankful for him or her every time you reach for candy.

You might also be interested in these other patriotic craft ideas!

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