Wear a helmet - Fun at-home activities for Kids.

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Wear a helmet

Make and decorate a safe foam-and-cardboard helmet, test it by dropping a wrapped egg onto a soft surface from low height, and learn helmet safety.

Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to make and decorate a safe foam-and-cardboard helmet

0:00/0:00

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

Kids' Bike Helmet Safety Tips From a Pediatrician | AAP #askthepediatrician

What you need

Cardboard box or cereal box, craft foam sheets, scissors, tape, glue, colouring materials, ruler, pencil, bubble wrap or soft padding, raw egg, soft blanket or pillow, adult supervision required

Step 1

Gather all your materials and clear a small table to make your helmet.

Step 2

Use the ruler and pencil to measure around your head and write that number on the cardboard.

Step 3

Cut a long cardboard band about 6 cm tall that matches your head measurement plus a little overlap.

Step 4

Cut a round dome from cardboard that will fit on top of the band to make the helmet crown.

Step 5

Tape the cardboard band into a circle and tape the dome to the top to form the helmet shell.

Step 6

Cut craft foam to fit the inside of the helmet and glue or tape it down to make a soft lining.

Step 7

Add small foam or bubble wrap pads at the forehead and back and tape them in place for extra impact protection.

Step 8

Decorate the outside of your helmet with colouring materials stickers and foam shapes to make it fun.

Step 9

Wrap the raw egg in paper towel then bubble wrap and tape it closed so it is well padded.

Step 10

With adult help place the wrapped egg inside the helmet then hold the helmet about 30 cm above the soft blanket and gently drop it to test the padding.

Step 11

Open the helmet and unwrap the egg to check if it cracked and note where any impact happened.

Step 12

If the egg cracked add more foam to the places that hit and repeat the drop test one more time with adult help.

Step 13

Share your finished helmet and what you learned about helmet safety on DIY.org

Help!?

What can we use instead of craft foam or bubble wrap if we don't have them?

Use folded felt, fabric scraps, or several layers of paper towels for the inside lining and extra padding, and replace bubble wrap around the egg with tightly folded kitchen paper towels or cotton padding before taping it closed.

My helmet came apart or the egg still cracked — what should I try next?

Reinforce the cardboard band and dome seams with more tape, add extra foam pads at the forehead and back where the impact happened, and repeat the drop test over the soft blanket with adult help.

How can I adapt this activity for different ages?

For younger kids have an adult do the cutting and handle the 30 cm drop while the child decorates and observes, and for older kids let them measure, cut, and experiment with thinner bands, different padding layouts, or slightly higher drops while recording results.

How can we extend or personalize the helmet once the basic test is done?

Add a chin strap from elastic or ribbon, mark impact points with stickers after each drop to guide padding changes, and decorate with paint, stickers, or foam shapes before sharing your helmet and findings on DIY.org.

Watch videos on how to make and decorate a safe foam-and-cardboard helmet

0:00/0:00

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

Bike Safety for Kids | Helmet On & Ride Smart!

4 Videos

Facts about helmet safety for kids

🪖 Helmets can reduce the risk of serious head injury by more than half in bicycle crashes — that's why we always wear them!

🥚 The egg drop is a classic engineering challenge used in classrooms to learn about impact, cushioning, and energy transfer.

📦 Corrugated cardboard is made of fluted paper between flat liners and is great at absorbing shocks for its weight.

🧽 Foam cushions protect by compressing and spreading impact forces over time, which lowers the peak force on the object inside.

🧠 You can get a brain injury from sudden acceleration even without a broken skull, so helmets help by slowing and spreading forces.

How do you make and test a foam-and-cardboard helmet?

Measure the child’s head and trace a cardboard helmet shape, cut two (top and brim) and layer with craft foam for padding. Secure layers with strong tape or glue, add a chin strap of elastic, and decorate with markers or stickers. Wrap an egg in soft padding (or use a hard‑boiled egg/foam ball), drop it onto a folded blanket from a low height, check for cracks, and adjust padding. Always supervise scissors and testing.

What materials do I need for a foam-and-cardboard helmet and egg-drop test?

You’ll need cardboard, craft foam sheets or pool noodle pieces, scissors, strong tape or hot glue (adult use), elastic or ribbon for a chin strap, markers/paint/stickers for decoration, and soft padding like bubble wrap or tissue for the egg. Use a hard‑boiled egg or a small foam ball as a mess‑free option. Also have a ruler, pencil, and a folded blanket or pillow for the drop surface.

What ages is this foam-and-cardboard helmet activity suitable for?

This activity suits ages about 4–12: preschoolers (4–6) can decorate and help stuff padding with close adult help; elementary kids (7–9) can measure, cut with supervision, and build more independently; older kids (10–12+) can design, test multiple prototypes, and record results. Always provide adult supervision for cutting, hot glue, and the drop test and scale tasks to each child’s skill level.

What are safety tips, benefits, and variations of the helmet activity?

Safety: supervise sharp tools and hot glue, test from low heights onto soft surfaces, and don’t use the craft helmet for real biking—always use certified helmets. Benefits: teaches basic physics, problem solving, design thinking, and why padding matters. Variations: compare different padding types, change helmet shapes, use a foam ball instead of an egg, or hold a friendly competition for the most protective design.

Ready to create?

All Activities

Wear a helmet

Make and decorate a safe foam-and-cardboard helmet, test it by dropping a wrapped egg onto a soft surface from low height, and learn helmet safety.

Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to make and decorate a safe foam-and-cardboard helmet

0:00/0:00

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

Kids' Bike Helmet Safety Tips From a Pediatrician | AAP #askthepediatrician

What you need

Cardboard box or cereal box, craft foam sheets, scissors, tape, glue, colouring materials, ruler, pencil, bubble wrap or soft padding, raw egg, soft blanket or pillow, adult supervision required

Step 1

Gather all your materials and clear a small table to make your helmet.

Step 2

Use the ruler and pencil to measure around your head and write that number on the cardboard.

Step 3

Cut a long cardboard band about 6 cm tall that matches your head measurement plus a little overlap.

Step 4

Cut a round dome from cardboard that will fit on top of the band to make the helmet crown.

Step 5

Tape the cardboard band into a circle and tape the dome to the top to form the helmet shell.

Step 6

Cut craft foam to fit the inside of the helmet and glue or tape it down to make a soft lining.

Step 7

Add small foam or bubble wrap pads at the forehead and back and tape them in place for extra impact protection.

Step 8

Decorate the outside of your helmet with colouring materials stickers and foam shapes to make it fun.

Step 9

Wrap the raw egg in paper towel then bubble wrap and tape it closed so it is well padded.

Step 10

With adult help place the wrapped egg inside the helmet then hold the helmet about 30 cm above the soft blanket and gently drop it to test the padding.

Step 11

Open the helmet and unwrap the egg to check if it cracked and note where any impact happened.

Step 12

If the egg cracked add more foam to the places that hit and repeat the drop test one more time with adult help.

Step 13

Share your finished helmet and what you learned about helmet safety on DIY.org

Help!?

What can we use instead of craft foam or bubble wrap if we don't have them?

My helmet came apart or the egg still cracked — what should I try next?

Reinforce the cardboard band and dome seams with more tape, add extra foam pads at the forehead and back where the impact happened, and repeat the drop test over the soft blanket with adult help.

How can I adapt this activity for different ages?

How can we extend or personalize the helmet once the basic test is done?

Watch videos on how to make and decorate a safe foam-and-cardboard helmet

0:00/0:00

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

Bike Safety for Kids | Helmet On & Ride Smart!

4 Videos

Facts about helmet safety for kids

🪖 Helmets can reduce the risk of serious head injury by more than half in bicycle crashes — that's why we always wear them!

🥚 The egg drop is a classic engineering challenge used in classrooms to learn about impact, cushioning, and energy transfer.

📦 Corrugated cardboard is made of fluted paper between flat liners and is great at absorbing shocks for its weight.

🧽 Foam cushions protect by compressing and spreading impact forces over time, which lowers the peak force on the object inside.

🧠 You can get a brain injury from sudden acceleration even without a broken skull, so helmets help by slowing and spreading forces.