All Activities
Build A LEGO Rocket

Build A LEGO Rocket
Green highlight

Build a LEGO rocket model, design stabilizing fins and a removable capsule, test flight concepts, and learn about balance, symmetry, and basic aerodynamics.

Orange shooting star
Download Guide
Collect Badge
Background blob
Challenge Image
Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to build a LEGO rocket

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

How to build a LEGO Rocket! EASY LEGO Academy Rocket Build | DIY Tutorial

What you need
Adult supervision required, cardstock or stiff paper for fins, lego bricks of various sizes including plates and slopes, lego pieces for a small removable capsule, markers or colouring materials, ruler or measuring tape, scissors, tape or masking tape

Step 1

Gather all the materials listed and bring them to a clear tabletop or floor space.

Step 2

Pick LEGO pieces to build a tall rocket body and set aside small pieces to make a removable capsule.

Step 3

Build the rocket body by stacking and snapping bricks into a tall narrow shape that feels sturdy.

Step 4

Build a small removable capsule that can sit on top of the rocket and be taken off easily.

Step 5

With an adult cut out three or four fins from the cardstock into simple triangle or trapezoid shapes.

Step 6

Attach all the fins evenly around the lower rocket body using tape so the fins are spaced symmetrically.

Step 7

Balance the rocket on your fingertip to find the spot where it stays upright.

Step 8

Add or remove small LEGO pieces to the body or capsule until the rocket balances upright on your finger.

Step 9

Give the rocket a gentle push across a smooth floor and watch how it glides or tumbles.

Step 10

Change the fin shape or move a fin to a new position to try a different stabilizing design.

Step 11

Push the rocket the same way again to compare how the new fin setup changes the flight.

Step 12

Use markers to decorate your rocket so it looks awesome and easy to recognize.

Step 13

Draw or write one sentence about which design flew best and why using your ruler to make neat lines if you like.

Step 14

Share a photo or description of your finished rocket and what you learned by posting it on DIY.org

Final steps

You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!

Complete & Share
Challenge badge placeholder

Help!?

What can we use if we don't have cardstock or enough LEGO pieces?

If you don't have cardstock, cut fins from a cereal box or thin cardboard and attach them with masking or clear tape to the lower rocket body, and if LEGO pieces are limited use larger DUPLO or stack small boxes as a tall narrow body so you can still test balance and flight.

Why won't my rocket balance on my fingertip or keeps tipping over?

If the rocket tips when balancing on your fingertip, follow the instructions to add or remove small LEGO pieces to the body or capsule and slide the removable capsule slightly up or down until the rocket stays upright.

How can I adapt this activity for younger or older kids?

For younger kids use big DUPLO bricks, pre-cut fins (have an adult cut the cardstock) and simpler stacking, while older kids can use the ruler to measure even fin spacing, test different fin shapes, and record which design flew best.

How can we make the rocket more interesting or improve flight performance?

Enhance the rocket by decorating with markers as suggested, adding small coins or modeling clay inside the removable capsule to fine-tune balance, or attaching a tissue-paper parachute to the capsule to test controlled descent before sharing a photo on DIY.org.

Watch videos on how to build a LEGO rocket

Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

How to build and program a LEGO Rocket with SPIKE Essential

4 Videos

Facts about model rocketry and aerodynamics

⚖️ A rocket flies best when its center of mass (weight) is ahead of its center of pressure (where air pushes on it).

✨ Symmetry (making both sides mirror each other) makes it much easier to balance a rocket and predict how it will behave.

🎯 Hobby model rockets can reach hundreds of meters high—so testing should always be done in wide, open spaces for safety.

🧱 LEGO bricks have been backward-compatible since 1958, so new pieces still click together with vintage sets.

🚀 Real rockets use fins or control systems to stay stable in flight—fins are a simple, effective way to help a rocket go straight.

How do you build a LEGO rocket with stabilizing fins and a removable capsule?

Start by building a sturdy central fuselage from long bricks or Technic beams. Create a nose cone and attach a removable capsule at the top or side using a hinge or simple stud connection. Design at least three evenly spaced stabilizing fins and test symmetry by holding the model at its center of mass. Try gentle hand launches or ramp glides, observe flight behavior, then tweak fin shape, mass distribution, and capsule position to improve stability.

What materials do I need to build a LEGO rocket?

You’ll need a variety of LEGO bricks: long plates or Technic beams for the fuselage, wedge or curved pieces for a nose cone, flat plates and angled pieces for stabilizing fins, hinge or clip pieces for a removable capsule, and small round parts for detailing. Optional materials: a ruler or scale for balance checks, masking tape to mark the center of mass, and a cardboard ramp or soft landing mat for test flights.

What ages is building a LEGO rocket suitable for?

This activity suits many ages: 5–6 year-olds can participate with adult help for small parts and planning. Ages 7–10 can build simple rockets, learn basic balance and symmetry, and perform supervised tests. Ages 11+ can design more complex fins, experiment with aerodynamics, and record results. Always supervise young children because of choking hazards from small LEGO pieces and to help with cutting or non-LEGO tools.

What safety tips and variations can we try when testing a LEGO rocket?

Test outdoors or in a clear indoor area away from faces and fragile objects, and use a soft landing surface like grass or cushions. Keep small parts away from very young children. Variations: try different fin shapes (triangular, swept-back), move the capsule to change balance, add weight inside the nose or base, or create a simple ramp or rubber-band launcher for controlled tests. Record changes to learn cause and effect.
DIY Yeti Character
Join Frame
Flying Text Box

One subscription, many ways to play and learn.

Try for free

Only $6.99 after trial. No credit card required

To create a safe space for kid creators worldwide!

Discovery Tools

DIY Wiki

DIY TV

Creativity Tools

How to draw

Teacher Tools

SafeTube

DIY Blog

2025, URSOR LIMITED. All rights reserved. DIY is in no way affiliated with Minecraft™, Mojang, Microsoft, Roblox™ or YouTube. LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO® Group which does not sponsor, endorse or authorize this website or event. Made with love in San Francisco.