Bicycle License Plate Craft

This month I am featuring a cycling theme. If you are doing this theme with Cub Scouts, they might enjoy making their own “license plates” for their bikes. They can put their names on them or decorate them however they like.

I saw this at a bike rodeo once and they were really simple. Even if they weren’t perfect, they kids seemed to really enjoy doing them. Our pack might do a bike rodeo this fall, so I will offer to do this as a station at the event.

Materials

• Aluminum pie plates
• Scissors
• Old magazines
• Pen or pencil
• Permanent markers (multiple colors are the most fun)
• Ice pick or awl
• Twine

Instructions

1. Cut a 3 inch by 5 inch piece of aluminum from the pie plate. (This doesn’t have to be exact. Just make it big enough to work on and approximately license plate shaped.)
2. Place it on an old magazine, so there is some “give” underneath it when pressed upon.
3. Using a  pen or pencil, press the name or design onto the aluminum.
4. Use the markers to color the plate.
5. Punch a hole in both of the top ends with the ice pick or awl.
6. Cut a piece of twine to about twelve inches.
7. Attach the license plate to the bicycle by threading the twine through the holes and knotting the ends.
8. Cut off any excess twine.
9. Ride with pride!