6-year-old launches airplane craft business

Nicholas Bubeck was stuck at home because of the coronavirus pandemic restrictions, and his mom, Nadine Bubeck, founder of All Things Mama Media, wanted him to do more than classroom work.

“Then a lightbulb came on, and I said, ‘Hey, my business should be selling craft planes.’”

Nicholas said he decided to make an airplane because he has flown on jets, and “I love planes because they let you travel. I love traveling but we can’t travel right now [because of the coronavirus pandemic]. So that’s why I made these planes, to imagine that you’re traveling wherever you want.”

The Scottsdale, Arizona, youngster launched Creations by Nicholas, including a website to accept orders.

“My airplanes are cool because they have this cool booster on the back, and there’s also special wheels, and a clip holder that can hold anything—even a picture,” he said, explaining that the kit airplanes are best suited for children ages 4 and above, and that parents who buy the DIY Plane Kit will need to help “put on the wheels and the booster because they are tricky.”

Nicholas said his favorite part of making the airplanes is putting on the wings “because I imagine that I’m flying,” which reminds him of looking out the window of a jet at clouds or the ground when he’s flying to visit family in California.

The airplanes are made from craft items including popsicle sticks, corks, a bottle cap, and a clothespin. So far, he said he has had 40 or 50 orders—orders he fills himself. He sells ready-made craft airplanes in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, or purple for $12, and DIY Plane Kits for $9.50 (shipping included).

He donates $1 of each sale to the Triple Heart Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides books to neonatal intensive care units for families. Nicholas told his mother that he wanted some of the proceeds to help “little babies,” and they decided on a friend’s Triple Heart Foundation because Nicholas spent seven nights in a NICU after he was born.

“Every year he goes to the NICU and brings the doctors and the families there either treats or goodies, or doughnuts, or presents,” his mother said. “I’ve kind of instilled in my kids to have that passion and pay it forward. When I asked him, do you want to have a portion of proceeds go somewhere special, he said, ‘Yes, to little babies.’”

In addition, he started the Kits for Kids program, where he will send one free airplane kit to children whose families have been directly affected by the coronavirus.

“He will send one free kit if the child's parents have/had COVID; if the child's siblings have/had COVID; or if the child is experiencing COVID-like symptoms of his own. In addition, if the child's parents dedicate their time as doctors to treating patients with COVID, Nicholas will happily send a kit their way!” the CreationsbyNicholas.com website says. Parents can request a kit through the website.

Nicholas said he hopes children get as much joy as he does by making and playing with these airplanes: “I hope they feel happy.”