Today I’m going to show you how to make a clothespin car with clothespins (of course), buttons and some imagination. So if you’re ready to make a car from a clothespin and create your very own DIY toys, let’s get started!
I’ve spent years making crafts for kids, and clothespin crafts are definitely among them. Kids will love playing with these clothespin cars all afternoon!
How to make a clothespin car
This little cars craft is so fun to wheel across the floor or roll down a homemade ramp. You can even decorate them if you like using paint or markers and are a great craft idea for preschool art time. This project comes from my book, Button Mania, be sure to grab a copy before they’re gone!
Here are the supplies you’ll need:
- Wooden clothespin
- 2 twist bread ties
- 4 buttons (matching pairs)
- 2 pieces of a drinking straw (1 ½” each)
- White craft glue
Here’s how you make it:
Insert one of the twist ties into a hole in one of the buttons.
Thread about an inch or so of the twist tie through a second hole and back through the other side of the button.
Twist the two pieces at the back of the button together tightly.
Thread one of the straw pieces onto the twist tie.
Thread the open end of the twist tie through the second button, then thread it back through the second hole and twist together like you did in step 3.
Repeat steps 1-5 for the second pair of buttons.
Open the clothespin and place the straw from one set of wheels in the hole of the clothespin opening. Close the clothespin. The clothespin should not flatten the straw; the twist tie should be able to turn freely inside the straw.
Add a dab of white glue to the back of the clothespin near the spring.
Insert the second set of wheels into the handle end of the clothespin and push it toward the spring into the glue.
Your clothespin car is now complete and ready to race! These are lots of fun, they are easy for kids to make, and are a great boredom buster for a rainy afternoon.
A clothespin car would make a great camp craft too. The kids can have races with their newly created toys. Speaking of camp, everyone remembers making a God’s Eye craft right? Find this and all sorts of easy crafts for kids on this blog and pin or bookmark them for hours of fun!
After you make this clothespin car, you might want to add this clothespin airplane and this rubber band car to your homemade toy collection as well. While these clothespin toys and crafts are for both boys and girls, we know that some kids enjoy animal crafts too. So check out these fun clothespin fish as well as these butterfly clothespins to add some color to your new toy collection!
Another project from my button book that you and the kids will like is my Rainbow Button Wind Chime. Have fun!
How to Make a Clothespin Car
Supplies
- Wooden clothespin
- 2 twist bread ties
- 4 buttons matching pairs
- 2 pieces of a drinking straw 1 ½” each
- White craft glue
Instructions
- Insert one of the twist ties into a hole in one of the buttons.
- Thread about an inch or so of the twist tie through a second hole and back through the other side of the button.
- Twist the two pieces at the back of the button together tightly.
- Thread one of the straw pieces onto the twist tie.
- Thread the open end of the twist tie through the second button, then thread it back through the second hole and twist together like you did in step 3.
- Repeat steps 1-5 for the second pair of buttons.
- Open the clothespin and place the straw from one set of wheels in the hole of the clothespin opening. Close the clothespin. The clothespin should not flatten the straw; the twist tie should be able to turn freely inside the straw.
- Add a dab of white glue to the back of the clothespin near the spring.
- Insert the second set of wheels into the handle end of the clothespin and push it toward the spring into the glue.
This post was originally published on this blog on Jul 10, 2017.
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Sharon says
Did not have good luck with this project even though I reworked it a number of times. Wheels fall over or don’t move right. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong!
Jul says
Did with a 5 & 6 yr old. This is not stable enough for that age. They were done playing with them in 2 minutes.
Jackie Dohlman says
My grand daughter would like to show kids how to make these cars at our 4-H fair next week. May we have your permission to do so? We will not be charging and money for this activity and we will acknowledge your website on her poster. Thank you
Amanda Formaro says
Of course! Sorry i’m late responding, i hope you went ahead and did it! :)
Heather Williams says
What size buttons are best?
Amanda Formaro says
Any size button is fine, as long as they are big enough to turn and clear the clothespins. Just make sure they are the same size as each other!