We love taking advantage of these long summer days! It’s not summer without swim parties, BBQing, staying up past bedtime and playing for hours outside! With the extra time on our hands we love to fill up a few hours with a craft that is easy to make at home. Our DIY airplanes are the perfect compliment to make craft time the best time, and perfect for our Tunnels of Fun Junction Set!

Being that it is starting to really feel like summer, we thought it would be appropriate to highlight one of our products that connects 4 play tunnels together (see what we did there?) – the Tunnels of Fun Junction Set – that any child would go crazy over! And, of course, what Playfully blog post would be complete without a super easy, super fun DIY? Keep on reading, my fellow friends!

Tunnels of Fun Junction Set

The Pacific Play Tents Tunnels of Fun Junction Set is a 4 way play tunnel connector with a mesh window on top to keep the bugs out, while letting the summer breeze and fun in. The Tunnels of Fun Junction Set not only folds up conveniently and compactly in only seconds, it also sets up just as easily, allowing for hours of explorative and inventive fun! It also comes with a convenient carry bag to store and carry the item. The tunnel junction connects any 4 standard sized Pacific Play Tents tunnels for instant Hide ‘N’ Seek or Tag fun, while stimulating imaginative and social interaction through play time. It can be used indoors or outdoors as it is super easy to wipe clean. Safety is most important for us, so of course it is also built tough for years of fun, safe playtime. Not only is it excellent fun for developing cooperative plays, but it also helps develop motor skills and spatial perception in children. The only limit this Tunnel Junction set has is your own imagination!

DIY Airplanes

If you’re getting ready to travel this summer on an airplane and it’s going to be the little one’s first time, this fun and simple DIY can help ease their nerves! They can learn all about the plane, the sky, what to expect at the airport and so much more to get excited for your trip. Aside from that, you’ll have to admit that it’s simply just fun to run around and play with in the backyard and to zoom through the tunnel junction with! A fun and easy DIY to help fill long summer days in between school and summer camps, it’s sure to keep your kids occupied for hours while enjoying the warm, summer air rather than sitting inside. And, since we love to make your life as a parent as easy as possible, this DIY not only uses items that you probably already have in your home, but it also comes with a printable (Airplane Parts Printable) to help you along.

What you’ll need:

• Light Weight Card Stock
  • We chose the colors of the tunnel junction, which are red, blue and yellow, but you can get creative with any colors you’d like.
  • You can also take it a step further by using white card stock and painting it custom colors once assembled!
• Empty Bottle
  • For this DIY we used a smaller sized one, but you can use any size you want or have lying around the house.
• Scissors
• Double Sided Tape
• Printable (click here)

How to make it:

1. Start with the body of the plane (x’s 2) and attach it to the bottom of the bottle with the longer side at the bottom of the bottle with double sided tape
2. Add the wings and engine by rolling it up with double sided tape.
3. Add the two rutters and six windows with double sided tape
4. Cut out the propeller of the plane and cut out the dashed lined circle in the middle so you can fit it around the cap of the bottle.
5. Now you have a fun Airplane DIY to run around the Tunnels of Fun junction with!

DIY Airplane Uses

Other than the obvious of using this DIY as a fun play toy for the summer, we’ve gone ahead and thought of some more fun uses for your DIY Airplanes after you’ve made a bunch!

• Educational tool: As we mentioned, this could be a really great way to help get your little one excited for getting on an airplane for the first time! But not only that, it’s great to help teach your children more about airplanes in general. Paint them different colors, get creative with the wings so they can differentiate the different types of airplanes and helicopters, or even paint them like police or rescue aircraft! They will be excited to point them out in the sky once they learn a bit more about them.
• Party or room decorations: Airplanes can be a great theme for any child’s party! You can use large bottles with this DIY so that you can stand it upright and put flowers in it for a great airplane centerpiece. Another great idea is to string multiple DIY airplanes together for a great wall decoration – this can also simply be hung in a child’s room regardless of a party! Finally, you can simply set up a DIY airplane station at a table for the kids to keep busy!
• Learning to recycle: Since the DIY uses bottles, it could be a great way to help your child learn about recycling and paper vs plastic. Collect them for a few days before you plan on doing the DIY and let them learn the importance of recycling and dividing!
• Compete: Why not make a game out of them? Make multiple airplanes in different colors and throw them lightly across the yard to see who’s makes it the farthest!

Let us know!

Did you make these DIY Airplanes or have the Tunnels of Fun Junction Set? We want to know about all of the fun you’re having with our products as well as our weekly DIYs, so please leave us comment below and let us know all about it!