This DIY stomp rocket is one of the simplest things I’ve ever made and works amazingly well! Even our heavy kitchen roll and cardboard rocket flew high up into the air.
All you need to make your own stomp rocket is an empty 2-litre plastic bottle, plastic tubing and paper. It’s that simple!
Once the stomp launcher is made, children can experiment with rockets made from different materials to see which fly the furthest.
How to make the easiest stomp rocket ever!
You’ll need
An empty 2l plastic bottle
Plastic tubing
Tape
Paper/card
Felt tip pens
Instructions – DIY Stomp Rocket
Attach the plastic tubing to the end of the plastic bottle. My tubing screwed on tightly, but if it’s loose, you might need to tape it so no air can escape.
Make a rocket from either a kitchen roll/paper towel tube or a roll of paper.
Seal one end of the rocket with paper or tape.
Decorate the rocket – optional.
Place the rocket on the end of the tubing and squeeze the bottle hard. The rocket will shoot up into the air.
We also experimented with a piece of paper folded over and sealed at the side and top, which worked really well.
If you have any different designs for a homemade stomp rocket, I would love to see them!
How does a stomp rocket work?
When you jump onto the plastic bottle, the air is forced out through the plastic tubing. The force of the air hitting the rocket pushes it into the air.
DIY Stomp Rocket – Extension Ideas
Set up an investigation to determine if making a rocket heavier means it doesn’t travel as far.
Change the length of the plastic tubing to investigate how the flight of the rocket changes.
Try pointing the end of the stomp rocket straight up and then forward to find out how the trajectory of the rocket’s flight changes.
Buy a stomp rocket launcher and compare it to your homemade version.
More rocket science ideas for kids
A water-powered bottle rocket is the most powerful rocket we’ve made. This type of rocket shoots upwards very quickly, so remember to stand well back!
My straw rockets are very easy to make and a brilliant, simple rocket STEM challenge.
A squeezy bottle rocket is a fun indoor rocket activity.
Watch a video of a real rocket launch! This one below is amazing as the boosters come back to down Earth and land in a specific place!
Science concepts
Forces
Gravity
Mass
Last Updated on January 30, 2024 by Emma Vanstone