Toilet Paper Roll Toy Train

Make your own train out of toilet paper rolls! This adorable craft is super easy and fun to play with! Enjoy! 

Materials You Need:

• Toilet paper rolls 
• Acrylic paint 
• Paintbrushes 
• Water bottle caps
• Straws
• Pipe cleaners
• Construction paper or cardstock
• Tacky glue

Instructions: 

To make a general train (you will use these in the following directions for the engine, caboose):

1. Paint the tube inside and out and let it dry. 
2. Paint the bottle caps black. Let them dry. 
3. Cut a straw into thirds. Glue one end to the inside of the bottle cap with a lot of glue and let it dry. 
4. When the tube and wheels are dry, punch holes at the bottom of the tube for the wheels to fit through. You can use a hole puncher and then push a pencil in to make the hole a little bigger. 
   
5. Glue on the other wheel and let it dry completely. 
   

To make the engine: 

1. Gather all materials. Paint a tube and let it dry. 
2. Cut out a long rectangle of cardstock to make the cab, about half the width of the toilet paper roll tube. Cut a square from the end of the strip. 
3. Roll the square into a tube and glue the side. This will be for the smoke. 
   
4. To make the cab, fold the rectangle into thirds. Open it to fit on top of the tube. Glue it in place. 
5. Put glue on the end of the small tube and glue it in front of the engine. 
   
6. Paint the bottle caps black. Let them dry. 
7. Cut a straw into thirds. Glue one end to the inside of the bottle cap with a lot of glue and let it dry. 
8. When the tube and wheels are dry, punch holes at the bottom of the tube for the wheels to fit through. 
9. Glue on the other wheel to the other end of the straw and let it dry completely.  
   

To make the caboose: 

1. Use red tubes (paint them red) and cut a second red tube in half. 
2. Paint the bottle caps black and attach (see general instructions from earlier). 
3. Cut a curve into the bottom half of the tube. Check that it fits on top of the carriage. Glue in place. 
   

How to add passengers to your train: 

1. Use small strips of white paper. 
2. Draw people using sharpies. Cut them out and glue them on your train car. 
   
    
3. Add these to a painted tube that you attached wheels to. 
   

How to make a coal carriage: 

1. Paint a toilet paper roll and let it dry. 
2. Add wheels (see previous directions). 
3. Cut a small rectangle form the top of the tube. 
4. Fill the opening with black paper (coal). Crumple the paper slightly before filling the opening.
   

   
   

 Finally- put all your train cars together using pipe cleaners hooked around the straws! Enjoy your train!