Wind-Up Trotting Turkeys
You know those turkeys you make out of a hand print? Cute, right? But I never got the point. Even as a kid, I was like, “But does it do anything?”
This Thanksgiving, finish the real bird, then keep the kids busy making some nifty little wind-up turkeys. The idea is based on an old-fashioned homemade toy called a spool tank that kids used to make out of wooden spools, sticks, and rubber bands, only here I’ve added a turkey that will really trot.
Materials:
- two drinking straws
- empty spool
- ruler
- markers
- scissors
- small paper clip
- rubber band
- masking tape
- small piece of posterboard or thin cardboard
- hole punch
Trim one straw so it’s 1 inch longer than the spool.
Slip the paper clip over the rubber band. Push the paper clip all the way through the straw, keeping a bit of the rubber band peeking out of the other end. (You may need to use a toothpick, skewer, or another paper clip to push it through.)
Poke the straw (rubber band end first) through the hole in the spool so that the paper clip lies flat against the side of the spool and the long end of the straw sticks out the other end.
Secure the paper clip to the spool with a bit of masking tape.
On the posterboard, draw a 3-inch turkey, the bottom of which is flat. Cut out the turkey then punch a hole in the front. Decorate it.
Slip the turkey over the straw sicking out of the spool. Cut a 2 1/2-inch piece of the other straw and slide it through the loop of the rubber band that’s sticking out of the straw (next to the turkey). This is the winder. Twist the winder many, many times until the rubber band is taut inside the straw. You have to wind the rubber band really tight to make this work. Sometimes the rubber band will be uncooperative at first. A good snap of he winder usually gets things going. Put the spool on the floor with one end of the winder touching the ground.
Now watch your turkey trot!
