35 min
Build a Lolly Stick Catapult
Seven lolly sticks, two elastic bands, and a pom-pom that goes further than expected.
✈️
Paper Aeroplane Testing Lab
Three designs, one tape measure, and an argument about which flies furthest.
Fold several designs and actually test them properly. The measuring is what makes it stick.
What you need
- paper
- a tape measure or ruler
- a pen
How to do it
- Fold three different aeroplane designs. A dart, a glider, and one of their own invention.
- Mark a throwing line on the floor.
- Each plane gets three throws. Measure and write down every distance.
- Work out which design won on average, not on its best throw.
- Change one thing about the losing plane and test it again.
Why this is good for them
Averaging three throws instead of celebrating the best one is the first real lesson in fair testing, and it is a genuinely difficult idea for children. Changing one variable at a time afterwards is the scientific method in miniature.
Adapting by age
5 to 6 yearsTwo designs and count paces instead of using a tape measure.
10 to 12 yearsAdd paper clips as weights and chart how nose weight changes distance.
Keep it safe
Throw away from faces and windows.
Cleanup tip
Keep the winner, recycle the rest.
More like this
25 min
Tallest Straw Tower
Twenty straws, some tape, and one rule: it has to stand on its own.
30 min
Balloon Rocket on a String
A straw, a string across the room, and a balloon that fires along it.
35 min
Frozen Treasure Excavation
Freeze small toys in a tub of water and let them dig them out.
45 min
Map Your Street
Walk your road and draw it properly, to scale, from memory.
45 min
Cardboard Marble Run
Kitchen roll tubes taped to a wall, and a marble that keeps falling out.