How to Make a Boomerang Out of Cardboard

A quick, easy and inexpensive way to make a boomerang is to use recycled cardboard. This 3-winged boomerang project uses chipboard, a type of cardboard typically found in cereal and pizza boxes. It also comes with a project template that will greatly simplify the process of making your boomerang.

To get started making your cardboard boomerang, click on the image that is included with this article. Right-click the image and select "Print Picture..." to print it out. If you prefer, you can also save the boomerang template to your hard drive to print out using your image viewer or image processing program.

Cut the boomerang from the project template using scissors. Then get a clean chipboard box that's at least as large as the boomerang shape from the template. Make sure that the boomerang template cut-out doesn't overlap any seams in the cardboard.

Place the boomerang template piece over the unfinished side of the cardboard. Trace around the edge of the shape with a pencil. Fold the paper boomerang template over the dotted lines. Then place the template back over the boomerang shape you traced on the cardboard. Carefully trace along the edge of the template where the paper has been folded in half. You should now have a complete drawing of a 3-winged boomerang with a line drawn along each wing.

Cut out the boomerang from the cardboard. You can use scissors for this part of the project, or you can place the chipboard over a piece of corrugated cardboard and cut the shape out with a craft blade. Place a straight edged ruler along the line which you drew on one of the boomerang wings. Bend the wing upward on the line and adjust it to a 30 degree angle. Repeat this step with the other two boomerang wings.

When you are finished making your boomerang, you can decorate it with colored pencils, markers or other materials that don't add to its weight or detract from its aerodynamic qualities. When you throw your boomerang, hold one of its wings between your thumb and forefinger and use a sidearm motion. Throwing the boomerang against the wind will cause it to return to you. Throwing the boomerang with the wind will help you to throw it farther. Applying more spin to the boomerang will also cause it to go farther and make a fuller arc when it returns. Throw the boomerang upward to cause it to come down with a spiral motion.

For more homemade craft ideas, read Craft Project for Kids: Thumb Wrestlers and Fall Craft Project: Pine Cone Owl.