{Think Outside the Toy Box} Paper Cups: DIY Race Track

Hey look at me posting on time and everything! We are slowly getting our life and routine back together, just in time for it to get all crazy again as we are leaving in less than two weeks to go back home for Myles' 2nd birthday party! Life is hectic around here and when all is said and done, I will have a two year old, memories of an awesome vacation home, and a new city to explore when we get back. And by that time summer will be pretty much over! 

Well here we are at week nine of the Think Outside the Toy Box Summer Fun Series! 

If you are here for the first time or want to check out all the details again, take a look at the post introducing the Think Outside the Toy Box summer fun series. Also if you have missed any previous weeks, here are the projects we have done so far:
Glow-in-the-Dark Bowling (and bath)
Plastic Bottle Waterfall
Astronaut/Alien Costume
 Foamy Bathtub Paint

Edible Sensory Bin
Marble Drop/Race
 Shredded Crayon Canvas Art
Painted Puzzle Wall Art

Now on to this week's fun with:

PAPER CUPS

I have had the idea for this week's item in my head since the beginning of this series. I originally came up with two ideas and really wanted to try them both, but with moving and everything else going on, I only got around to making one. I'm sure either would have been a hit with Myles, but I think (for once) I actually made the right choice! He is super into his race/train tracks right now (as I am sure he will be for many years to come), so I came up with my own version and made him a

  Paper Cup Race Track

What You Will Need: 

1 box of 200 count paper bathroom cups

Glue Gun (with a lot of glue sticks)

 Flattened Cardboard Box/ Plywood Sheet, Particle Board

Different Colored Markers (optional)

Race Cars

Directions:  

1. Lay out the board you have chosen (or have laying around the house.) Put the paper cups out on the board in the placement you want them. I experimented with different  features and the way they would hold up best. I laid it all out on the board and moved parts around until I was happy with the whole set-up. 

2. Use the glue gun to secure all of the cups to the board/other cups. 

I tried a bunch of stuff out and came up with a few fun features like bridges, a tunnel, a jump, and some towers. I opened up the cups to make the jump ramp, bridges, and ramps to go up and down the bridges. I also opened the cups to make a tunnel. That didn't turn out exactly how I wanted though. It works well enough, but the cars get stuck in there sometimes. I should have made it shorter or higher. I also glued cups on other cups to make some towers and a big bridge. 

3. You can also draw/color areas to make it more like a real race track. It can be a dirt trail, have a lake, a pit-stop, etc. I didn't have the time, but you could get really creative with markers. 

4. Play! I am pretty please with how much Myles actually likes playing with this! And he hasn't destroyed it yet!

We had a blast with week eight of the Think Outside the Toy Box Summer Fun Series; thanks for checking it out! Also don't forget to check out what all of the other ladies put together for this week's item in the link-up below. 
  And if you have a post (new or old) that you created showcasing paper cups in a kid's project, craft, game, experiment, etc., submit it below as well. No post this week? No problem; join us next Monday when we will be using milk jugs! 

 And in case you want to get a head start, here is the complete list for the coming weeks:
July 28 - Plastic Milk Jugs