What can be more satisfying than making something with your own hands and watching it fly? Try folding a couple of different designs and see which one flies the furthest. Kids will love experimenting and trying to make the best design. They won’t even realise they’re teaching themselves a little bit of aeronautical science, like gravity, thrust, drag and lift!
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Take an A4 piece of paper and fold it in half lengthways. At the top of the piece of paper fold the two top corners into the central line, then, over the top, fold a more acute triangle into the centre line.
Fold the paper in half lengthways again. Fold what will become the wings, down at an angle. Experiment with different angles to make larger or smaller wings and see which flies best.
Once you’ve played with the wings, try folding back the point of the classic dart aeroplane to even out the centre of gravity and it should fly further. To do this, after step 2 instead of folding the plane in half, fold back the point to make a straight line and then fold it forwards again so the tip touches this line but doesn’t cross it. Then continue with step 3 as before.
Host a paper aeroplane throwing competition with all of your different designs and see which design flies the furthest!
