If you have a rocket loving, future astronaut in your family, then a model rocket is the absolute perfect gift to inspire and excite them. Model rockets are great for children of all ages with adult supervision, and the process of building a rocket is a great learning experience, even for the youngest children.
So, what are the best model rockets for 5-9 year olds? Some of the best model rockets for a 5-9 year old include the Apogee Apprentice Starter Set, the Quest Planet Probe Model Rocket Kit, and the Estes Alpha III because of their ease of build. Estes also offers the Estes Rascal and Hijinks Launch Set, which come out of the box ready to fly.
For kids that are between 5 and 9 years old, rocket construction and launching should always be done with adult supervision. The rocket will need to be constructed properly, and it will need to be launched with the proper safety precautions taken.
Continue reading to find out what you should look out for when purchasing a model rocket for the younger crowd, as well as some suggestions as to what models you should buy.
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What to Look for in Model Rockets for a 5 to 9 Year Old
Ease of Build
The attention span, fine motor skills, and ability to overcome challenges is limited in children of this age group. Every child is different of course, but most children are still developing their skills in these areas.
Model rocket building will challenge your child in these areas, and this is a good thing as children won’t learn without a little challenge, but you wouldn’t want to pick a model rocket build that is too far outside of their ability. They may grow too frustrated, give up too quickly, or simply not be capable of completing the build.
To give you an idea, most children have attention spans that are 3 to 5 minutes per year of their age (source). That means that a five year old will have a 15 to 25 minute attention span, and a 7 year old would have a 21 to 35 minute attention span. Of course, attention span will vary widely from child to child.
With this in mind, choose a model rocket that can be completed in 15 to 20 minute sessions to allow the child to be able to complete a component and take a break before coming back to it.
Simple Instructions
The instructions should be easy to follow with pictures to support the written portions. Many 5 to 9 year olds are still learning to read. You will likely need to read and explain instructions to them.
You can usually find the instruction manuals for any model rocket on its manufacturer’s website if you would like to check it out before buying. This will give you a good idea as to their complexity.
Engine Size
Ideally, your rocket would use the standard 18 mm motor and you would want to use the less powerful of these as they are safer, and the rocket will not fly out of sight or get lost.
The 13 mm motors are smaller, but they have similar power levels to the lower powered 18 mm motors, and they often require adaptors and are harder for small hands to work with.
Always start with the least powerful approved motor for your rocket and work your way up.
Best Model Rockets For 5 to 9 Year Olds
Building model rockets can be an enjoyable activity for everyone involved, as well as a great way for parents and children to bond together. However, there is no fun in building a model rocket that is too difficult to assemble or launch.
When you are seeking out the best model rocket for a 5 to 9 year old child, whether you will be purchasing a gift or building it with them, it is important to find the most age appropriate models for the best results.
In this section, I will go over the best model rockets for children ages 5 to 9 and give you all the details you would want to know about them.
The Best of Estes for a 5 to 9 year old
Estes Industries has been making model rockets for over 60 years and is one of the most well known makers of model rocket kits for people of all experience levels, but they have a special emphasis on creating model rockets that will educate and inspire children.
Estes offers a whole collection of beginner level rockets that are easy to build and plenty of others for children to grow into. Almost all the beginner level Estes rocket would be appropriate for 5 to 9 year old children with adult supervision, but here I will showcase some favorites.
Estes Alpha III
The Alpha III (link to read reviews on Amazon) was the first rocket Estes made for their beginner level, and it is truly a great rocket for a first build. All of the parts come pre-painted, so you can have the rocket up and flying in a matter of minutes.
This is great if you’re child isn’t so much into the decorating and building part and is really excited to get to the flying part.
Even better is that the Alpha III can fly as high as 1,100 feet. These heights are certain to excite your child and may even inspire them to build more complex rockets in the future.
The all-inclusive launch set comes with everything you need (except engines) to start launching today.
Estes Rascal and Hijinks Launch Set
The Rascal and Hijinks launch set (link to read reviews on Amazon) comes with two rockets that do not need any assembly. Just take them out of the box, and you’re ready to fly. This can be great for a child who is too young to build their own rocket.
The launch set comes with a launch system, but you will still need to purchase engines, starters, and wadding.
Estes Designer’s Special
The Designer’s Special (link to read reviews on Amazon) has enough parts to build up to 8 model rockets and includes a Model Rocket Technical Manual that goes over some of the basics of rocketry.
While this would not be the best model rocket kit to get for a first build, it would be a great kit to get once your child masters the basics of building a model rocket. It allows them to get creative as they take the first steps into experimental rocketry.
The best thing about this set is that it is truly an educational experience for your child. They will be able to try to make the rocket of their dreams and test it to see if it flies! This is rocketry at its best.
Estes Saturn V
The Estes Saturn V (link to read reviews on Amazon) may not be the fastest or highest flying rocket, but it is a 1:100 scale replica of the Saturn V, which was the rocket used to launch man to the moon in the 1960s. For a pint-sized space history buff, and I’ve met a few, this is the ultimate model rocket.
It comes ready to fly out of the box, so, even though it is not listed as a beginner rocket, it certainly doesn’t require any expertise.
If your child would especially like a rocket that looks like a real rocket used by NASA, then this is hands down the best buy you could make.
No matter which model rocket you choose for your child, it will definitely be an experience that they will never forget.
Apogee Rockets for Kids
Apogee is another leader in the model rocket space. While they aren’t as widely known among beginners, Apogee has an impressive amount of customization for their rockets and could be a better project for older kids that want a little more work involved in their rocket set up. We’ll cover one pre-made option and then a few that require some assembly.
Apogee Apprentice Starter Set
The Apogee Apprentice Starter Kit (link to read reviews on Amazon) is one of the best model rockets for young children. It can be completed in 15 simple steps including adding the decals that come with it. The instruction manual has clear pictures on how to do what the instructions are telling you.
In addition, the Apogee Apprentice Starter Set comes with everything you will need to complete your launch, and it comes with a DVD that guides you and your child through constructing and launching the rocket. It doesn’t get any easier than that!
The Apogee Apprentice Starter Set comes with an A8-3 motor, and with that motor, it is estimated to reach 240 feet in the air, which would be very impressive to anyone’s first launch. You can also use a lower powered 1/2A6-2 motor, which would launch the rocket about 69 feet. Again, plenty high for a small child to enjoy the experience with minimal risks.
This rocket is comes with everything you need to fly the rocket including the wadding, 3 motors, igniters, and the launch system.
Apogee Avion
The Avion is another first flyer offered by Apogee. Although it is a first flyer, it is slightly more complicated to assemble compared to the Apprentice. The instruction manual has 21 steps you must follow to assemble the rocket. For an older child, it can make a great first build and for a younger child, it could make a great second build.
The kit does not come with the launching system, engines or wadding. Essentially, you’re just getting the rocket, but the Apogee website offers free construction videos that can be streamed to help you and your child build the rocket.
One of the great things about this rocket is that even though it is easy to build, it can reach some pretty impressive altitudes. A B4-4 engine could launch the Apogee Avion 809 feet into the air while a C6-7 could launch it 1,394 feet high. This is sure to really impress your child.
Of course, the more power an engine has, the more dangerous a mishap could be. It is best to start with the lowest recommended engine, in this case the 1/2A6-2, and work your way up.
Quest Planet Probe Model Rocket Kit
If you’re looking for something a little different for your future astronaut, this may be the right fit for you. Instead of the traditional rocket shape, this rocket is shaped like a probe. If the probe look isn’t interesting to your child, you can flip the pre-printed aeroshroud over and decorate the white side instead. Lots of room for creativity with this one.
The Quest Planet Probe is very easy to construct, and the kit comes with everything you will need to launch it. There are only 11 instructions, and each has a picture to help understand what to do.
It also features a tumble recovery system, which means no need to add a recovery system. It is very simple.
With an estimated maximum altitude of 200 feet, there is no danger of losing this one to wind. If you have more than one child launching this rocket, you can race to see whose probe lands first.
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