BB-8’s adventures aren’t just limited to the sand dunes of Jakku or the forest of Takodana — he can go for a spin with your kids this summer with this easy-to-make bicycle wheel craft. Whether your kids are riding in a bike parade or just cruising the neighborhood streets, they’ll have their BB-8 buddy with them for the journey.
What You Need*
• White crepe streamer
• Orange construction paper (at least 2 sheets)
• Plain white paper plate
• Masking tape
• Transparent tape
• Orange, black, and gray markers
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Craft knife
*The activities in this article should only be done with adult supervision.
Get Started!
Begin by tearing a long piece of the crepe streamer, long enough to make it around the bicycle wheel once with length to spare. Fold the end of the crepe streamer over one of the spokes on the front wheel, and use a small piece of tape to hold it in place.
Next, weave the streamer through the spokes, folding it and taping it as you go to make it as tight against the spokes as possible.
When the streamer has made it completely around the wheel and back to the starting point, tear the crepe paper and tape it to the end you started with.
Repeat this process until the wheel is covered. Make sure to gently pull the crepe streamer around the reflector on the spokes so that it’s not blocked.
Next, trace the roll of masking tape (new or used) both inside and outside on the orange construction paper to make a thick circle.
Use the ruler to draw two lines bisecting the circle. These will serve as guides for the shapes inside the circle.
Draw a trapezoid shape centered on the lines and touching the inner part of the circle. It doesn’t have to be exactly measured, but roughly 2 cm tall and 1 cm wide at the top of the shape. Repeat until you have four shapes.
Use the craft knife and scissors to cut the orange circle out.
Repeat until you have eight orange circles.
Next, use the transparent tape to attach the orange circles to the crepe paper in the bike wheel, four per side. Be sure to tape them so that no edges are sticking up that might get caught by the bike frame when spinning. (Again, take care not to cover the reflector on the spokes.)
Cut the white paper plate in half.
On the concave side of one paper plate half, draw a large black circle in the center for BB-8’s “eye,” and a smaller black circle below and slightly to the right.
Draw a solid line with the gray marker at the top and bottom of the plate half.
At the top, draw an orange line with some space in the middle just below the gray line.
Draw short orange lines along the bottom of the plate just above the gray line.
Repeat on the other half of the paper plate.
Use the tape to affix the paper plates to both sides of the bike wheel on the bike frame (not the tire).
BB-8 is complete and ready to roll with your kids on their summer adventures!
Kelly Knox is a freelance writer who loves creating crafts with her daughter. Follow her on Twitter at @kelly_knox, and take a look at her blog the st{art} button for more Star Wars art projects and craft ideas.
