How to Build a Wooden Rubber Band Shooter

Here’s a simple toy that can be built out of scrap wood and a clothes pin!

Aidan inherited this awesome pile of scrap wood a few weeks ago:

So many possibilities with a pile of wood like that!  I decided to do a basic wood working project with Gresham (age 7.5) and Owen (age 5).  We decided to make a rubber band shooter.

Gresham and I worked together to cut some 1 x 4 boards into short sections.  We also found some flat pieces that would work for stretching the rubber band around.

Gresham had a great time using the saw for the first time (with help, of course!) and sanding the boards.

We attached our two boards with wood glue and then used wood glue to attach a wooden clothes pin.

To load, stretch a rubber around the end of the shooter.  We found that thick rubber bands work the best.  Thin ones slip out of the clothes pin.

To shoot, simply release the clothes pin!  So much fun!

I love Owen’s serious look in this photo…

Like to make homemade toys?  Here are some more ideas:

• Build a water balloon launcher

• Make a marshmallow catapult

• Shoebox Foosball Game