Super Flyers -Quick Toys to Make

My children love to throw.  The farther toys fly through the air, the better.  I like flying toys that are soft and don’t break household objects.  I also like flying toys that are great for OUTSIDE play.  Super Flyers are easy to make, they are soft, simple to throw and can really travel.

I first made these little toys for a Spring Fair at a Waldorf school.  They were fantastic because they were a toy that a young child could throw with ease (and get great results with the distance they go) and also a toy that amused older children for hours.  I love a toy with staying power!  These toys are so straightforward to make, I decided to have my children make their own super flyers. Creating a toy yourself brings so much more meaning to the finished project.

Materials:

Craft Felt (or other cloth type material)

Beans, Rice or Popcorn Kernels

Ribbons

Embroidery Needle and Embroidery Floss

Cling wrap or small bag to contain beans

Let the children pick their colour of felt.

Have them cut out two circles from the felt.  My youngest chose to have bigger circles to make the sewing part a little easier.

Choose what to put in the middle of your super flyer.

We wrapped our corn kernels in cling wrap.  You could also wrap them in scrap cloth that you sew or tape shut.

Sew around the outer edge of the felt circle in your stitch of choice. This five year old girl is using a blanket stitch.

Leave a section of your circle open to put your corn kernels inside.

Finish sewing your circle until you almost reach the spot where you started. Cut some ribbon for the super flyer’s tail. We used three pieces.

Slip the pieces of ribbon into the empty spot you left open in your circle.  Add some stitches to secure the ribbons to the felt of the super flyer.  Sew the circle of felt closed.

Admire your finished project! I added a few extra stitches to this three year old’s super flyer to make sure the ribbons (tail) were sewn tightly onto the circle of felt.

Now you are ready to fling your super flyer into the air and watch it zing!  Grab onto the tail of the super flyer and throw it with a big windmill motion of your arm.

Your super flyer will really zoom!

It’s rewarding to make a toy and watch it soar through the air.  Enjoy the simple fun the children create with this toy.  Give it a toss yourself; it really is amazing how far these super flyers go!