Youth Activity Archive

Activity Description: Build and test a simple rover using recycled materials, then improve the design to help it move better.

Items Needed:

• Small cardboard box or 6 in. square of corrugated cardboard
• 2 cardboard circles or bottle caps for wheels
• 1 pencil or wooden skewer
• 1 plastic drinking straw
• 2 rubber bands
• 2 round hard candies with holes (Optional: use beads or buttons)
• Tape
• Scissors
• Ruler
• (Optional) Pipe cleaners, foil, bottle caps for decoration

Instructions (Estimated Total Time: 30–35 min):

1. Make the rover body. (4–5 min)
   • Fold the cardboard into thirds along the corrugation to form a trench shape.
   • Reinforce corners with tape if needed.
2. Prepare the rear axle and wheels. (5–6 min)
   • Poke holes near the top of the outer sections of the rover body.
   • Slide the pencil through the holes to make the axle.
   • Attach one wheel (cardboard circle or bottle caps) to each end of the pencil and secure with tape.
3. Add the front axle and wheels. (4–5 min)
   • Tape the straw across the bottom of the rover body.
   • Slide a candy onto each end of the straw.
   • Bend and tape the ends to keep the candies in place.
4. Build the rubber band chain. (3–4 min)
   • Loop two rubber bands together to make a chain.
   • Wrap one end around the pencil axle.
   • Cut small slits in the front of the rover body and slide the free end of the chain into the slits.
5. Power and test the rover. (4–5 min)
   • Turn the back wheels to wind the rubber band.
   • Place the rover on the floor and let go.
   • Watch how far it travels and how it moves.
6. Evaluate and improve. (5–6 min)
   • Check if the wheels spin freely and if the rover moves in a straight line.
   • Make changes to improve balance, traction, or wheel shape.
   • Test again to see if the changes helped.
7. (Optional) Decorate and customize. (3–4 min)
   • Add foil for solar panels, pipe cleaners for antennae, or bottle caps for instruments. Use imagination to make the rover unique.

Step-by-Step Tutorials:

• Alternate Instructions: I’m the Chef Too – Blast Off Learning
• Alternate Instructions: NASA – Make a Cardboard Rover 

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