My best friend's 3 year old decided a week before Christmas that Santa was bringing him a rocket! Unfortunately for T and her husband, no rockets were to be found in our small mountain town. On Christmas Eve, I took it upon myself to make sure his faith in Santa did not falter.
I dried out one 2 liter soda bottle and one 16-20 oz. bottle. I cut the top off the smaller bottle and hot glued it on top of the 2 liter bottle to make the rocket's nose. I then cut two even sections of a wrapping paper tube. I spray painted the bottle white and the tubes black. Make sure you let these dry completely before moving onto the next steps.
Next I cut several strips of tulle in orange and yellow. I hot glued these into one end of the tubes for flames. The tubes were then hot glued to the bottom of the 2 liter bottle. Keep in mind that you are hot gluing on plastic and the bottle might buckle a little.
We just happened to have silver glitter foam board in our craft room which worked perfectly for the rocket's wings. I used a straightedge as a guide to cut a triangle and then used that triangle to cut an identical one (in mirror image). Attach the foam board to the sides of the bottle and you have rocket wings!
I added some legos and a bottle cap to spice it up a little. I also found a "Made in U.S.A." sticker on a present I was wrapping for my grandpa so I peeled it off and attached it to the rocket for a finishing touch.
Christmas morning, Santa pulled through and the little man loved his new rocket. T said she cringed every time he threw it across the living room but it held up!
