Cardboard Plane Costume – Amelia Earhart

Project Summary:

This cardboard plane costume is based on an Amelia Earhart costume. The project is a little time consuming, but it will keep the children entertained for many hours as they will love being involved in the design process and they can help with the implementation of each step. They will be super proud of their creations and will have so much fun flying around in their new aircrafts!

Step 1 – Prepare the materials

Step 2 – Make cardboard templates

The next step is to cut out cardboard templates for the following parts of the plane:

• Wings of the plane
• Propellers, including a circle for the middle of the propeller
• Rudder and horizontal stabilizer

To create the templates we started out by using a pencil and paper to sketch the template shapes by estimating a size that would suit the overall size of the cardboard box. For the circle for the propeller we used a drawing compass to draw circles of several sizes which would enable us to select the most suitable one when we held the paper against the cardboard box. We also used a drawing compass to create rounded edges for the other template shapes, alternatively you could use the outline of a bowl to create a curved edge. When the paper templates were complete we held them against the cardboard box to ensure the sizes were in proportion.

Step 3 – Cut the templates out of cardboard

Once you are happy with the size and shape of the paper templates simply cut them out with a scissors and draw around the templates on cardboard. For the wings and the rudder of the plane we used a pencil to draw and extra horizontal rectangle at the end of the shape, this extra piece will be used to hook the wings in through a slit made in the cardboard box. The next step requires an adult to use a scissors or cutting blade to cut the templates out of the cardboard.

Step 4 – Assemble the cardboard box for the body of the plane

The next step involves testing the assembly of the pieces of the plane before painting it. We sourced a flat-pack cardboard box from Ikea which we assembled for the body of the plane. We then used a paper blade to create slits on either side of the box. Similarly, we created a vertical slit in the back of the box for the rudder and a horizontal slit in the back of the rudder for the horizontal stabilizer wing. Once the slits were completed, we fed the corresponding template piece through the slit.

Step 5 – Paint the plane

Once you have created and tested all of the cardboard pieces to complete the plane, it’s time to paint them in your chosen colour. We made two matching planes; one in pink and one in blue. Children will love helping with this step as poster paint can easily be applied to cardboard using large paint brushes or sponges. Once complete, leave the painted cardboard out to dry.

Step 6 – Assemble the painted plane

When the painted cardboard has completely dried it’s time to assemble the plane. When assembling the pieces, sellotape or a glue gun can be used to reinforce the sealed edges.

Step 7 – Create the propeller and engines

We decided to cover the propeller cardboard template in stripped wrapping paper. The tissue paper pom-poms were assembled along with circular cardboard cut-outs to use in the center of the propeller. A glue-gun was used to attach the circular cardboard onto the propeller template, we then punched a small hole into the front of the plane and we used a paper fastener to attach the propeller to the cardboard plane. The glue-gun was also used to attach the tissue paper pom-pom to the front of the propeller.

For the engines we used painted toilet paper rolls, circular cardboard cut-outs and tissue paper pom-poms. We used a glue gun to attach the paper pom-poms to the circular cardboard to the toilet rolls. We then used a glue gun to attach the toilet rolls underneath each wing.

Step 8 – Create ribbon straps

The final step in the creation of your Amelia Earhart airplane costume is to create ribbon straps which will enable the children to wear their plane over their shoulders. Simply measure their height and cut the correct amount of ribbon required, cut slits through each side of the plane and feed the ribbon through to create straps.

Step 9 – Complete the costume with a pilot cap

As a final step to the project, you could easily create a pilot cap from a plain wool hat. You can see the instructions on our Easy Pilot Cap Craft Project page.

Step 10 – Time to play

It’s finally time to enjoy the wonderful creations that you have made – time for lift off!