The Soapmobile

For younger kids

Time: 5-10 mins

The Soapmobile is a fun and easy way to create a light and fast boat to race around any tub or sink of water at home!

You will create a tiny boat powered by dish soap that can race across water!

Materials:

A piece of cardboard or thin styrofoam

Some dish soap

One toothpick

Steps:

1. Take a small piece of cardboard or styrofoam, and cut it into this shape:

2. Use the toothpick to rub a small amount of dish soap onto the edges that are marked here:

3. Put it in a tub of water. Make sure there’s enough water in front of the Soapmobile for it to go far forward!

Challenge your friends to build their own Soapmobiles to race against yours!

Extra Ideas to Try:

• What happens if you use a different type of dish soap? Will it go faster or slower?

• What if you use cardboard instead of styrofoam, or styrofoam instead of cardboard? Does one material last longer in water than the other?

• What happens when you make the Soapmobile bigger or smaller in size? Does it go faster or slower? Does it even work at all?