30 min
Paper Aeroplane Testing Lab
Three designs, one tape measure, and an argument about which flies furthest.
📐
Tallest Straw Tower
Twenty straws, some tape, and one rule: it has to stand on its own.
A ten minute engineering challenge that gets repeated far more than ten minutes.
What you need
- drinking straws
- masking tape
- scissors
How to do it
- Give each builder twenty straws and one arm length of tape.
- The tower must stand on its own for ten seconds to count.
- Build, measure, and write the height down.
- Knock it down and build again with what you learned.
- Best of three attempts wins.
Why this is good for them
Almost every child builds a tall thin tower first and watches it fall, then discovers a wide base on the second attempt. That discovery is worth far more than being told, and the strict material limit is what forces the thinking.
Adapting by age
5 to 6 yearsTen straws and unlimited tape.
11 to 12 yearsIt must also support the weight of an apple at the top.
Keep it safe
Adult handles scissors for younger children.
Cleanup tip
Straws can be reused several times before the tape ruins them.
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