Paper Rockets are so fun to do with Cub Scouts! Paper Rockets shoot hundreds of feet in the air and are easy for Cub Scouts to make and shoot themselves.
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- To print a 300dpi PDF of the Cub Scout Rockets, Click Here
- To print a 600dpi PDF of the Cub Scout Rockets, Click Here
- To print a PDF of the Activity Days Rockets, Click Here
I love to use these to teach engineering to the Webelos. When you make them with paper, the paper fins fall off pretty quickly. When you make them with cardstock, they last longer, but the fins still have problems. If you duct tape the back of the paper behind the fins before you roll the rocket, they are much stronger. These kind of rockets spin around in circles as they fly. When you don't cut the fins into the paper, but just add other cardstock fins, these rockets are the strongest of all. I love to have them make each of them and then we talk about why each rocket performed and lasted how they did. They love to spend the whole time fixing their rockets and adding to them. I also like to have elmers glue, duct tape and hot glue to be used to glue things together. This is also a learning experience on how things perform according to what is used to make them. It is fun to see the boys add rocks right under the nose cone on the inside or duct taped to the outside to add weight. It is all a science and engineering experiment so let them try different things!
How to Assemble the Rockets:
1. Print these rockets on 24lb paper or cardstock. I like cardstock because it makes it stronger and heavier.
2. Cut 3 straight lines along the edge of the triangles at the bottom of the rocket.
3. Roll paper around a PVC tube starting on the right side of this paper.
4. Glue along the edge of the paper as you start, and at the end of the paper as you finish rolling. At the end, use your finger to smear the glue in a wide stream so it does not all come out of the paper as you finish.
5. Use a cloth to wipe across the rocket to take off the extra glue and also to hold it down. Rub for at least 30 seconds while pushing hard.
6. Insert a foam nose cone with hot glue, stuff it with tissue taped or hot glued in, or squish the top together and tape over the top.
** For the strongest and best rocket, don't cut the fins out before you roll it, but make other fins out of cardstock and glue those on.
Here is a launcher you could make that would not need to be hooked up to an air compressor.
Click Here to see more about this launcher.
