Aim for the stars with our swirly paper rocket craft for kids. If your kids love making all kinds of space crafts, this one is just right for them.
This spaceship craft is ready to blast off into space! What we love most about this project is you can combine this craft with an art lesson and have kids first make a galaxy-painted background.
Have them use their fingers to make the stars, a spray bottle filled with paint to spray on a galaxy, and Q-tips to add the details; the possibilities are as endless as the space itself.

*This post contains affiliate links*
Crafting is a fantastic way to stimulate young minds, fostering both motor skills and imaginative thinking. And this project can do it all.
Related: crafts for kids
How to Make the Swirly Paper Rocket Craft for Kids
What you need:
- our printable template (optional) or a hand-drawn rocket
- white print paper
- black, blue or purple cardstock for the background (other colors are OK too)
- print paper in “fire colors” (orange, red, yellow are all great)
- scissors
- glue
Step by Step Tutorial
If you want to make this as an art project, have kids first paint the background. There are multiple ways you can make this (we have a galaxy butterfly tutorial you can use as an inspiration).
Print out our rocket template – it’s available as a pre colored printout or as a black and white for kids to color. If printing the black and white one, have kids color it first.
Cut out the rocket.
Place the rocket near a corner (facing the corner) and trace around the exhaust. This will make the next steps easier.
Have them apply glue to the left side of the pencil line.
It’s time to start gluing the paper strips – the rocket exhaust flames!
We picked bright yellows and oranges – five strips in total, but kids can use as many and as many colors as they like!
Start with one of the paper strips on the outer side and make a swirl.
Apply glue at the end of the paper strip.
Glue it to the cardstock so it stays in place.
Have the kids repeat this step with all the strips.
Next, glue the rocket in place.
The rocket craft is done!
Get the Rocket Craft Template
The printable rocket craft template is available to members of the Easy Peasy and Fun membership.
To access the template, log in to your account or become a member.
Already a member? Log in here.
Want instant access to all of our printable crafts, activities, and resources?
With thousands of crafts, activities, worksheets, coloring pages, and drawing tutorials to print, you will always have just the resource you need at your disposal. Perfect for parents and teachers alike!