03/03/2023
A simple fun weekend activity that many children and families will enjoy is to make and fly a paper plane.
Here are the steps to make a simple paper airplane:
1. Start with a rectangular piece of paper. Letter size paper (8.5 x 11 inches) or A4 paper work well.
2. Fold the paper in half vertically, crease it well, and then unfold it. This will give you a center crease to use as a guide for the next step.
3. Fold the top corners of the paper down to the center crease, creating two small triangles at the top of the paper. The points of these triangles should touch the center crease.
4. Fold the top edge of the paper down to the bottom edge, creasing it well. This will create a long skinny rectangle shape.
5. Fold the paper in half along the center crease, so that the skinny rectangle is folded in half. The folded edge should be at the bottom and the open edge should be at the top.
6. On the folded edge, fold the top corners down to create wings. The corners should be folded down at a slight angle so that they meet at the center crease.
7. Fold the wings down so that they are even with the bottom edge of the airplane.
8. Finally, fold the tip of the airplane up slightly to create the nose of the airplane.
That's it! You can experiment with different shapes and sizes to see how they affect the airplane's flight. Have fun!
What is the benefit?
Making paper planes is a fun activity for kids that can help them develop a range of skills and knowledge. Here are some potential learning outcomes from the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) in Australia that can be related to this activity:
A) Fine Motor Skills: Folding and manipulating the paper to make the plane helps children develop their fine motor skills. This includes developing hand-eye coordination, dexterity and control of hand movements. Children will need to use their fingers to fold the paper into specific shapes and creases, which can improve their manual dexterity.
B) Creativity and Imagination: Making and playing with paper planes can help children develop their imagination and creativity. They may create different shapes or designs, decorate their planes or invent new ways to make them fly. This encourages children to think outside the box, explore different possibilities, and exercise their creativity.
C) Mathematical and Scientific Concepts: Making paper planes provides children with opportunities to explore basic mathematical concepts such as shape, symmetry and measurement. As they experiment with different designs, they can also learn about aerodynamics and the physics of flight. They can observe how different folds and shapes affect the way the planes fly, and use trial and error to refine their designs.
D) Social and Emotional Skills: Making paper planes can also help children develop social and emotional skills. They can work collaboratively with others to experiment and problem solve, and engage in friendly competition to see whose plane flies the farthest. These activities promote communication, sharing, taking turns and negotiating, which can help develop social skills.
E) Physical Development: Throwing and catching the planes also provides opportunities for children to develop their gross motor skills. Throwing a paper plane requires coordination of the arms, shoulders and hands, and tracking the flight of the plane requires visual tracking skills.
Overall, making paper planes can be a great way for children to develop a range of skills and knowledge across different learning areas.
