Snails aren’t exactly known for speed, but that’s never stopped people from hosting snail races. I’d be hesitant to touch a real snail, so I created some printable mollusks that involve zero slime.

Even better, these snails are ready to race with wheels that help them speed along. Your paper snail racers will take a lot less time to cross the finish line, but they’re so much fun to customize and race that they’ll entertain for hours!

• Card stock
• Wooden skewers
• Scissors
• 1/8-inch & 1/16-inch hole punches (optional, but helpful)
• Utility Scissors (optional, but helpful)
• Snail Racers PDF template (download here)

Step 1
Print the Snail Racers on card stock and cut out the double-snail rectangles. Fold the racers in half to make them double sided.

Step 2
Punch the the folded snails with an 1/8-inch hole punch. You can use the pointed end of skewer, but it can bend the card stock, so I don’t recommend this method.

The holes on the snails needs to be loose enough for the skewers to turn and twist easily in the hole, but the skewer should not move too much. A standard 1/4-inch punch will not work.

Step 3
Punch the the wheels with an 1/16-inch hole punch or use the pointed end of skewer to carefully make a hole without bending the card stock. If you’re using a tiny punch, you will still need to use the skewer to make the hole a little larger.

The holes on the wheels need to be snug so they don’t turn and twist on the skewers.

You’ll notice that the spot marked for punching isn’t centered. This will help your snails bounce as they race!

Step 4
Use utility scissors to cut the skewers into 2-inch sections. And adult should do this part. Use caution because the pieces can sometimes fly!

Step 5
Slide a skewer piece through the punched holes of the snail, then slip a wheel on each side. Repeat with each set of wheels.

Step 6
Have fun designing your snails with different combinations of wheels.

Step 7
Give your snail a little push to get it ready to race. If the wheels aren’t turning, make sure that the holes on the folded snail are large enough.

For a really good race, set up a racetrack on a slight incline. A board with a stack of books under one end works great. Line up your snails at the starting line, and then start the race!

Cheer on your favorite, and if they start slowing down, give ‘em another nudge.

Which snail will reach the finish line first? Award the winner with some veggies, a snail’s favorite snack.

Happy crafting!