How to Make an Origami Jetpack

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Welcome back to Sugar, Spice & Glitter! My newsletter is the best way to stay up to date with our delicious recipes, fun kids' activities and travel tips. Please note, this post may contain affiliate links. For more details, see our Full Disclosure .

I love making homemade toys for the kids, and it's even better when the kids get involved – like when we made our Spring Waldorf Hand Kites.

This time, our aspiring astronauts and I worked together to make a homemade jet pack.

Easy homemade jet pack toy that kids can make. The perfect homemade toy for your budding astronaut that can be whipped together with a few recyclables!

Our jet pack is more of a costume accessory than a toy, but you should see the way it transformed our littlest astronaut's play!

I heavily involved my 4 year old in the construction of our jet pack, from the spray paint to the hot glue, to picking out colours and presenting it to our little astronaut. If you're not comfortable giving your child access to these materials, this is a quick craft you can make yourself, but I really love the confidence that trusting children with real materials can bring. I do ensure that I'm giving them tools they are mature and capable enough to handle.

Materials needed to make your own jetpack

Materials to Make a Homemade Jet Pack

2 empty & clean 1-L soda bottles
Spray paint (or a paint that is specifically labeled "for plastic")
Hot glue & hot glue gun
Tissue paper
3 feet of 1″ wide ribbon, approximately

We actually had to buy pop to make this craft! We used it to make some Mountain Dew cupcakes for my brother, but we probably could have asked for someone to save us a couple. Do what works for you!

(Although, if you've never had Coca-Cola cake before, that would be well worth the $1 purchase!)

Would you let your child use spray paint to make their own jet pack?

First, we spray painted the bottles completely silver and let them dry.

Ella wore a small mask, the kind you wear if you have a cough and are visiting a hospital, and we did this outside. Again, if you're not comfortable you can do this step yourself.

How to make your own jet pack costume for kids

Once the silver spray paint had dried, we taped off the bottom of the soda bottles (where there was a natural indentation already) and spray painted them gold! We allowed the paint to fully dry before removing the tape.

We probably could have layered a different type of paint over top of the spray paint, since the plastic was covered, but we had silver and gold on hand and liked the effect that gave.

Would you let your child use a hot glue gun to make their own jet pack?

Next, we warmed up the cool touch hot glue gun and securely glued the bottles together, side by side.

We cut up some orange and red tissue paper into "flames" and Ella added some glue just inside the openings of both bottles. However, I insisted on putting the tissue paper in just because the paper is so thin, I didn't want to risk Ella getting a burn.

Make a homemade jet pack with just a few simple materials - ribbon, plastic bottles, and tissue paper, plus a bit of decoration!

Next, we measured our little astronaut with the ribbon to determine how big to make the arm holes and the harness for the jet pack. We secured the two arm loops first with glue, and then added two strips right across the bottles for some added strength.

We used a Canadian ribbon to make our jet pack - well, because we're Canadian. Feel free to use whatever works for you, or would capture the imagine of your little astronaut

Ella was so excited to present this homemade toy to our little astronaut and he loved zooming around the backyard – off to the moon!

The jet pack has so far lasted daily use for two weeks, about half an hour to an hour each time. It's not being handled roughly, but the straps are being pulled on before the children run around, the whole jet pack bouncing along with them on their space adventures.

Easy homemade jetpack toy that kids can make. The perfect homemade toy for your budding astronaut that can be whipped together with a few recyclables!

Overall, I'd say this was a very successful homemade toy or costume accessory, and a wonderful experience for Ella in creating and giving something special to one of her friends.

What do you think? Would you let your child use spray paint and a hot glue gun to make their own jet pack, or one for a friend?

Be sure to check out our other homemade toy ideas, like this scented felt apple pie or our no-sew tutu.

Easy homemade jetpack toy that kids can make. The perfect homemade toy for your budding astronaut that can be whipped together with a few recyclables!