Cardboard toilet paper tubes are the ultimate building blocks for DIY toys. With just a few basic craft supplies like paint, popsicle sticks, cardboard, and glue, you can transform simple cardboard rolls into a fleet of colorful, flying aircraft!
These 10 airplane craft ideas cover everything from classic vintage biplanes and fighter jets to fun fantasy flyers. They are quick to build, budget-friendly, and perfect for afternoon crafting with kids.
Materials & Supplies Checklist
Before taking off, gather these basic crafting staples:
- Base: Empty toilet paper rolls (or paper towel rolls cut in half).
- Wings & Propellers: Wooden craft sticks (popsicle sticks), cardboard scraps, or cardstock.
- Paint & Color: Acrylic or washable kids’ paint, paintbrushes, and markers.
- Adhesives: School glue, glue dots, or low-temp hot glue (for sturdy adult assembly).
- Hardware & Extras: Split pins (brads) for spinning propellers, wooden beads or buttons for wheels, and stickers/washers for decoration.
10 Fun Toilet Paper Roll Airplane Crafts
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| TOILET PAPER ROLL AIRPLANE MAP |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| [ PROPELLER ] --> Attached to front nose using a split pin |
| [ TUBE BODY ] --> Main fuselage (painted, decorated with windows)|
| [ WINGS / TAIL ] --> Popsicle sticks/cardboard slotted through body|
| [ WHEELS ] --> Buttons, beads, or cardboard rounds on base |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
1. The Classic Popsicle Stick Biplane
- The Look: A vintage two-winged biplane with a spinning front propeller.
- How to Make It: Paint a cardboard roll your favorite color. Glue two large wooden craft sticks horizontally across the top and bottom front of the roll to create double wings. Cut a small cardboard triangle for the tail fin at the back. Trim a small craft stick in half, punch a hole through its center, and attach it to the front opening with a split pin (brad) so the propeller spins!
2. The Sleek Jet Fighter
- The Look: A fast, aerodynamic military-style jet featuring swept-back wings.
- How to Make It: Paint the tube silver or slate gray. Cut two long, angled triangular wings from thick cardboard and glue them flush to the sides of the tube, angling them toward the back. Cut a sharp vertical fin for the tail and glue two small wooden beads at the bottom as jet engines. Add star stickers or racing stripes along the sides.
3. The Colorful Cartoon Flyer
- The Look: A bright, playful airplane with bold painted patterns and big button wheels.
- How to Make It: Paint the toilet paper tube in bright primary colors—like yellow with red polka dots or blue with yellow stripes. Glue a wide craft stick across the middle for wings. Glue four colorful plastic buttons onto the lower base to act as landing wheels, and add a small foam-shape propeller at the nose.
4. The Rescue Seaplane (Water Bomber)
- The Look: A sturdy rescue plane equipped with dual pontoon floats for water landings.
- How to Make It: Paint the roll bright orange and white. Glue wide popsicle stick wings across the top. To make the water pontoons, glue two extra-wide craft sticks or thick cardboard strips underneath the belly of the plane, raised slightly on two small wooden bead spacers. Finish with a red propeller at the nose.
5. The Recycled Cardboard Monoplane
- The Look: An eco-friendly, rustic airplane made 100% from upcycled cardboard.
- How to Make It: Keep the toilet paper roll in its natural brown color. Cut wide, rounded wings and a curved tail fin from an old shipping box. Make two small horizontal slits on opposite sides of the tube and slide the cardboard wing piece completely through for a super sturdy build. Draw pilot windows and rivets using a dark brown or black marker.
6. The Flying Superhero Jet
- The Look: A heroic aircraft inspired by comic book superheroes, featuring bold emblems.
- How to Make It: Paint the roll deep blue or bright red. Glue broad cardboard wings to the top and paint a custom superhero shield or logo on the front wing surface. Cut small circular “window” stickers out of yellow paper and place them along the side fuselage. Add metallic gold or silver glitter tape along the wing edges for extra shine.
7. The Vintage Propeller Glider
- The Look: An elegant 1930s-style monoplane with a wide wingspan and wooden accents.
- How to Make It: Paint the roll a classic forest green or maroon. Use extra-long wooden craft sticks for the main wings to give it a long glider silhouette. Attach a large two-blade wooden propeller at the front using a brass brad. Glue a small wooden bead under the nose and tail to act as classic landing gear.
8. The Space Shuttle Transport
- The Look: A futuristic space transport plane featuring large delta wings.
- How to Make It: Paint the cardboard tube solid white, with a painted black nose cone at the front opening. Cut two large, right-angle triangular delta wings from black or white cardstock and glue them along the bottom edges of the tube. Use a red marker to draw NASA-inspired stripe details and flag decals along the fuselage.
9. The Washi Tape Racer
- The Look: A vibrant, pattern-heavy stunt plane covered in colorful decorative tape.
- How to Make It: Instead of paint, wrap the entire toilet paper roll in overlapping strips of colorful pattern washi tape. Do the same for two wooden craft sticks. Glue the craft stick wings to the top and bottom of the roll, and attach a bright foam propeller at the nose. This is an awesome mess-free craft for younger kids!
10. The Twin-Engine Passenger Airliner
- The Look: A commercial passenger plane with long wings and wing-mounted engine turbines.
- How to Make It: Paint the tube white with a bright blue stripe running horizontally along the middle. Cut long, straight cardboard wings and attach them to the bottom belly. To create the jet engines, cut a plastic drinking straw into two short 1-inch segments and glue one under each wing. Use a hole punch to make small black paper dots and glue them along the blue stripe as passenger windows.
Pro Tips for Assembly & Play
- Spinning Propellers: Always use a brass split pin (brad) to attach the propeller to the front. To make it sit flush, glue a small cardboard circle over the front opening of the tube first, punch a small hole in the center, and insert the brad!
- Easy Slotting Method: If glue isn’t holding the wings tightly enough, ask an adult to use a utility knife to cut two thin horizontal slits along the sides of the tube. You can then slide a single long cardboard wing straight through the body for an unbreakable hold.
- Display Option: Punch a tiny hole in the top center of the finished airplane, loop a piece of fishing line or yarn through, and hang your aircraft from the ceiling to create an indoor flying squadron!