Make a Robot from a Cardboard Tube

Recommended Materials:

• Empty Toilet Paper Roll (if you don’t have an empty toilet paper roll you can use cardstock to make a tube)

• Silver paint or marker

• Markers

• Paintbrush

• Small beads or buttons

• Construction paper (any color of your choice) – you can also color white printer paper if you do not have construction paper

• Glue

• Google-y Eyes

• Black Marker

Instructions:

1. Paint or color your toilet paper roll  (let the paint dry for about 30 minutes)

2. While the paint dries, cut out your construction paper pieces. You will need:

   1. 1 rectangle (2 inches by 1¼ inch). This will be for the control panel.

   2. 2 strips (2 inches by ½ inch). These 2 strips will be the arms.

3. Glue the rectangle on to the center of the toilet paper roll, the long sides going up and down. This will be the front of the robot.

4. Glue the google-y eyes on to the toilet paper roll above the rectangle. Leaving space between the rectangle and the google-y eyes to draw a mouth.

5. Glue the beads or buttons onto the rectangle, which is the control panel. Glue them in any design that you like. Allow the beads or buttons to dry before standing the robot up.

6. If you have not already, cut two strips that measure 2 inches by ½ inch from the construction paper or the paper you colored. Fold the 2 strips accordion style. These 2 strips will be the arms for the robot. Glue the arms onto the sides of the robot.

7. Using black marker draw a mouth on your robot under the googly eyes.

8. Your robot is now complete. Have fun playing and using your imagination with your robot!

Activity by Cheryl Moy, Bates Site