Step 1: Add Your First Wheel

If you want to decorate your car, it's easiest to draw or color on the cardboard tube before doing the next steps, so get your paper, crayons and markers and make it your own!

You'll need to create a hole in both of the lids or discs or whatever you use for the wheels of your car. The wheels just need to be bigger in diameter than your cardboard tube, and can be anything from peanut butter jar lids to discs made of cardboard. Depending on what you have and the material, a pair of scissors should be fine. Have your parents help you cut holes in your lid using scissors. They should be about 3/16" to 1/4" (4-6mm) in diameter, too much bigger than that and they might not work very well.

Then string the rubber band onto the paper clip so that it stays in place on the clip relatively well. Poke the other end of the rubber band through a hole in one of the wheels and pull it through so the paper clip rests right against the side of the wheel. The paper clip holds the rubber band in place when we wind it up - if you find that it spins around a bunch, simply add some hot glue (use caution) or tape to help it stay in place.

Step 2: Add Your Second Wheel

This part can be tricky - pull the rubber band all the way through the tube. It helps if you dangle it inside as far as it will go, then pull it through the other end. Keep it tight so it doesn't spring back inside the tube, and fish it through the hole in the other wheel. Once you get it through you'll need to keep tension on it until it's finished, but be persistent if it keeps springing back! If your rubber band does not fit easily through the holes in your wheel, create a bigger hole or use a smaller rubber band.

Step 3: Add the Bead and Straw

Next you'll want to add your pony bead (or suitable replacement). Push the rubber band through the hole in the middle of it, then keep tension on it - we're not done yet! This piece acts as a bushing for the car, keeping the straw from rubbing up against the wheel. As mentioned in the supplies step, you can use a washer of similar diameter to the hole, hex nut, piece of thick plastic tubing, etc. As long as it's relatively smooth on both sides and has a hole in the middle like a donut it will work, so get creative!

After you've added your bushing, just poke the straw through the loop at the end of the rubber band. Once done, this will keep the whole thing together. If you don't have a straw, try using a piece of dowel or popsicle stick, plastic cutlery, etc. Experiment with what works best for you.