DIY UFO Spaceship

The boys have really enjoyed playing with the toilet roll aliens we made last week and it’s made them really curious about aliens and the possibility of other life in the universe. Being typical little boys they were most curious about what type of transport aliens might get around in… So began our discussion and exploration of UFO spaceships!

We discussed that the acronym UFO was short for Unidentified Flying Object. Wikipedia defines any object flying in the sky that cannot be identified by the person who sees it to be a UFO. Whilst most UFOs are natural or man-made objects, nobody knows for sure if UFO spaceships really exist but they’re often associated with aliens.

The boys identified some UFO pictures in some of their space themed stickers, to use as a starting point for our craft. The common element in the pictures was a saucer shape with a dome on top.  This shape is easily achieved using recycled disposable plates and containers you may have lying around the house.

Teaching our little ones eco-friendly practices and the concept of recycling is very important.  We love any opportunity to re-use and repurpose in our crafts.

This DIY UFO Spaceship craft is brilliant for encouraging creative thought.  All the painting and gluing is a great fine motor skill workout – skills that are essential for learning to write. We also enjoyed a lesson in shapes as we identified the different shapes in our craft.  Your UFO spaceships can be as decorative and imaginative as you like, after all they are from outer space!

Hope you have fun making these UFO spaceships as much as we did.  My boys are certainly happy that their toilet roll aliens have a way of getting back home to their own home planet!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR THE DIY UFO SPACESHIP:

• 2 x plastic/paper disposable plates (it is preferable to have a deeper plate)
• 1 x clear disposable deli container preferably one with a dome shaped lid
• 1 x coloured pipe cleaner
• Coloured paper
• 1 x coloured pom pom
• 1 x brad fastener

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE DIY UFO SPACESHIP:

1. To make the disc of the UFO spaceship, use a Stanley knife to cut a hole approximately the size of the deli container on the two plates.
2. Paint the underside of disposable plates as preferred. We painted one plate red with yellow portholes and the other green.
3. Separate the lid and the bottom of the deli container by cutting the plastic in between.
4. Glue the clear domed lid of the deli container onto the underside of one of the painted plates to resemble a dome on the UFO.
5. Paint the bottom of the deli container as preferred. We painted ours orange.
6. Glue the bottom of the deli container onto the underside of the second painted plate so that the UFO is able to rest on this.
7. Use a brad fastener to loosely secure the two plates to allow the disc of the UFO to be opened and closed (the plate with the dome should be on top).
8. Cut out a circle from coloured paper to make a cone shape, insert a small length of pipe cleaner in the centre of the cone and glue the cone to the top of the UFO.
9. Glue a coloured pom pom onto the end of the pipe cleaner to resemble an aerial.

* This post and all associated images have been supplied by the lovely Rossa from Curious Little People.  Follow her on Instagram for more creative inspirations!