I love it when a home-learning topic provides inspiration for a craft activity. Sophie has recently been learning about Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She already knew a little about Amelia Earhart thanks to an episode of ‘Go-Jetters’ and enjoyed learning more. We decided that it would be fun to bring her home-learning to life with a little craft session, making clothes-peg planes together.
These clothes-peg planes are simple to make, although adult help will be needed to cut up the craft sticks.
You will need:
- A clothes peg
- 4 craft sticks
- 2 matchstick-sized craft sticks
- 2 small buttons
- A brad (or another small button)
- Paint or paint pens
- Scissors
- Glue
1) Cut one of the craft sticks into two equal pieces and trim the blunt end to make it more curved. Trim the curved end off another craft stick and discard. Cut two smaller pieces from the remaining length of craft stick, each around 2.5cm long.
2) Paint the craft sticks and clothes peg with paint or paint pens and leave to dry if needed.
3) Glue the two full-length crafts sticks to the top and bottom of the clothes peg at the front end (the end that opens).
4) Glue the two half-length pieces of craft stick to the top and bottom of the clothes peg at the back end.
5) Turn the clothes peg upside down and glue the two short pieces of craft stick to the sides of the clothes peg, just in front of the longer pieces of craft stick.
6) Glue a small button at the top of each short piece and leave to dry.
7) Glue the two matchsticks crossing over each other and leave to dry.
8) Wrap a brad around the crossed-over section of the matchsticks. Alternatively, you could glue a small button over the crossed-over part instead.
9) Turn the clothes-peg plane over and glue the matchstick propeller to the front. Leave to dry. Your clothes-peg plane is now finished!
We painted our planes yellow in honour of Amelia’s first plane, which was nicknamed ‘The Canary’ due to being bright yellow. Other than cutting up the craft sticks, Sophie was able to do this craft by herself, although I did help her with wrapping the brad around the matchsticks as this was quite fiddly. Using a small button instead would make this part a little easier.
Sophie was very proud of her finished plane, although was a little disappointed that it didn’t actually fly! That’s a craft challenge for another time!
For more home-learning-inspired craft ideas, check out our Christopher Colombus and moon landing crafts.
I am bookmarking this to do with my 6-year-old grandson. He will love it! The planes are so cool! Your daughter’s plane turned out wonderfully. Amelia Earhart was one of my heroes when I was your daughter’s age.
Ah brilliant, hope you have fun making it with your grandson.
I love extending learning through craft. Sophie’s plane is fabulous and such a good idea. It’s lovely when they get o the stage where they can do almost all the making for themselves. #mmbc
Thank you – it is lovely that she can do most of it herself now and come up with her own ideas too.
These are brilliant! Will have to try these with Elizabeth #MMBC
Thank you, we had fun making them.
These look absolutely brilliant – the propeller is so cute :o)
#MMBC
Thank you 🙂
These are so cute! What a clever idea! #kidsandkreativity
Thank you Hannah. They were fun to make 🙂
Popping back over from #mischiefandmemories xx
This is genius, my kids would love to give this a try xx #MischiefAndMemories
Thank you, they were fun to make.
I would never have thought of using clothes pegs to make planes,brilliant #kidsandkreativity@_karendennis
Thank you Karen, they were fun to make.
These look fabulous. What a great craft to go along side learning about Amelia Earheart. #MischiefAndMemories
Thank you. It was such a great craft to go with our home learning.
These are amazing! My little one did a bit on Amelia Earhart a while ago, but I wouldn’t have thought to make a peg plane. We’ll have to give it a go. Thank you for joining us for #mischiefandmemories – it’s lovely to see you xx
Thank you, it was a fun way to help reinforce the learning 🙂
This is such a clever idea and a great way to further interest in design and history by linking in with Amelia Earhart. Thanks for linking up with #MischiefAnd Memories
Thanks Laura, Sophie had fun making these 🙂
Gosh they are so clever and so effective. I am banking that for an Easter holiday activity for my lot. They love planes so it should be a hit. Great to have you with us on #MischiefAndMemories
Thank you, it was such a fun craft to do.
This is such a lovely – & simple idea. I find those ones the best! #mischiefandmemories
Thank you, it was a fun craft to do.
Oh we’re definitely going o be trying these! #KidsandKreativity
Hope you have fun making them 🙂
I absolutely love these! They have turned out so well! Thanks again for sharing at #KidsandKreativity x
Thank you Kerry, we had a lot of fun making them.