Looking for a fun, inexpensive robot craft, no-batteries-required? We’ve got three! You don’t need to be a master coder or electronics guru to pull off these no-tech robots for kids of all ages. Just scroll down to build a robot. Or, beep boop, beep, beep, boop!
1. Paper Robot Glider
Former elementary school teacher and mom of two Chelsey—who blogs at Buggy and Buddy—posted a neat paper robot glider that’s super-easy and fun to make. She even included a free, printable robot template, but you can easily create your own robot design to suit your tastes.
What you’ll need:
- A basic robot design printed on heavy card stock
- String (we used parachute cord that was purchased from a craft store)
- Pony beads
- Drinking straw
- Scotch tape
- Markers and/or crayons
Have your mini-robotics expert color and design her robot on the paper template.
Cut out the robot design.
Cut the drinking straw into approximately one-and-a-half inch lengths, then tape the straw pieces to the back of the paper robot.
Hang the cord over a door knob, then thread both ends through the straws. Secure the ends of the cord with a pony bead so the paper robot doesn’t slide all the way through.
Hold the ends of the cord in each hand, pull the cord, then voilà! The paper robot glides up and down.
2. Button Robot Hangers
Whether your kiddo use these button robot hangers on their backpacks or as ornaments, they are cute and easy to make.
What you’ll need:
- Assorted buttons
- Pipe cleaners
- Googly eyes
- Glue
Select buttons that can serve as a robot’s head, body, arms and feet, then arranged the pieces to see what they might look like.
Thread a pipe cleaner through the button holes, starting with the head, then moving down to the body, then finishing with the robot’s feet.
Add another pipe cleaner for the robot’s arms, then thread the pipe cleaner through the button holes of the arms.
Glue on googly eyes, position your robot’s arms and legs, then your button robot is complete!
3. Robot Self Portrait
What you’ll need:
- Perler bead kit
- Mini-canvas
- Paint
- Glue
Have your robot designer create a robot self-portrait using Perler beads, then fuse the beads with an iron per the instructions provided by Perler.
Paint the mini-canvas, then glue the completed, fused robot portrait to the mini-canvas.
Display your robot designer’s robot self-portrait!
What are your favorite robot projects? Tell us in the comments below!
—Kipp Jarecke-Cheng
