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We love engineering projects and my kids make their fair share of paper airplanes. This is a fun twist on the paper airplane, and I'll show you how to make straw and paper airplanes.

I was amazed at just how far this simple contraption could go!

I've been wanting to make one of these for a while, and then along came Asia Citro's newest book, The Curious Kids' Science Book: 100+ Creative Hands-on Activities for Ages 4-8. (affiliate).
Note: This post may contain affiliate links.
And wouldn't you know, right there on page 123 is a project called Design a Straw Plane and Change the Parts to Change how it Flies.

Yes!

If you enjoyed my book or have a curious and creative child between the ages of 4 and 8, The Curious Kids' Science Book is just for you.

You will need two pieces of paper for this activity: one will be half the length of the other

Cut two strips off the end off a sheet of paper that are approximately 1″ wide.

Cut one of the strips in half

You will now use two pieces of paper: The long one and one of the short ones. Ours measured at roughly 1″ x 8.5″ and 1″ x 4.25″. This does not have to be precise.

Tape the paper strips into loops

Tape the loops to either end of a straw, making sure that they are facing the same direction.

Fly your plane.

Try using different lengths of paper

Use different weights of paper

Move the paper closer to the center of the straw

Measure how far your plane can travel

Make a paper airplane and compare the distances traveled

If you enjoy making things that fly, try making a flying teabag hot air balloon.

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Design Challenge: Make Straw and Paper Airplanes | TinkerLab

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We love engineering projects and my kids make their fair share of paper airplanes. This is a fun twist on the paper airplane, and I'll show you how to make straw and paper airplanes. I was amazed at just how far this simple contraption could go!

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If you are a regular around here you know just how much we love building engineering challenges for kids. So far, we have tried building structures with gumdrops, candy hearts, candy pumpkins, and jelly beans. After reading my friend's new book, The Curious Kid's Science Book, I knew we had to share our favorite engineering challenge from the book: building with straws.

* This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. Click here for my full disclosure.

Building with Straws | A Simple Engineering Challenge for Kids

As I mentioned before, we love engineering challenges and setting up science explorations almost every day. We are always looking for ideas that foster the eight principles of science discovery and that is not always an easy task. Enter, The Curious Kids' Science Book. This book if full of over 100 science ideas that kids can try. These aren't just demonstrations either, like the famous mentos and soda or the popular magic milk explorations. Instead this book is full of true science activities set up by a true scientist!

This activity is only a sliver of the activities presented in the book, but we wanted to showcase one of the "challenges" presented that fit with "challenges" we already have shared!

Setting up the Experiment
Materials:
Drinking Straws
Washi Tape

Yard Stick (Optional)
Set Up:
Setting up this challenge was simple! All you need is a set number of straws per child and some washi tape. You can use milkshake straws or regular straws, but the outcome will be different. What a great comparison, though! We used 10 regular straws this time around, but we have a plan to re-do this challenge with more straws and then changing out the type of straws.

Building with Straws Challenge

After presenting the challenge to your children, allow each of them to connect their straws in a design they think will make the tallest tower. For younger children, you might have to help them set up the corners.

Each of my boys decided to do a base, but you do not have to have a base. As you can see they each thought their base would make the best tower.

The tops of their towers were very different as well.

Remember, you can only use 10 straws for this challenge! Next time you can try more or different straws.

Making Observations and Noticing Differences

Now for the fun part! How tall of a tower did you make? Using the yard stick, measure the tower and then compare them to other people doing the same challenge.

The first time my oldest son measured his tower, it was actually shorter than his brothers. He was allowed to make one adjustment (but so was his brother) to try to get his tower taller.

This project was a lot of fun, and was great for comparing, problem solving, and engineering principles. What I love most about this project is that the boys were automatically thinking of all the ways they could change the challenge and do it again. So tell me, how tall of a tower can you build?

Then, what's even better is we don't have to stop there. With Asia's new book, The Curious Kids' Science Book, we can literally do a new challenge every day if we wanted and never run out of ideas since the ideas foster so many new challenges.

The book is divided into Explorations (demonstrations), Experiments (Testing a Hypothesis), and Challenges (Open ended projects). I have never seen a science book written from such a thoughtful planning an execution. The teacher in me sings from the rooftop about this book. Seriously, if you have any connection to children, you need this book! It is a wonderful collection of scientific ideas for ages 4-8!

If you want a great list to get you started, download the list below to get your free printable list of 52 STEAM challenges for your kids. I am not sure it gets much easier than that! When you get the list, you will also be added to get the latest updates about our awesome new STEAM Kids Book that is full of amazing STEAM activities for kids.
Click Here to Download
TIME FOR STEM SATURDAY BLOG HOP!

Every Saturday, the Stem Science Team will share our latest and newest learning ideas for you to try with your children. Did you check out last week's post?

VISIT THESE GREAT BLOGGERS FOR MORE STEM FUN!

Spooky Levitating Puppets | Halloween Science from the Science Kiddo

Number Building with Loose Parts | Math Activity from Little BIns for Little Hands

More Adventures in Engineering

Do you have a favorite engineering activity? I would love to know! Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribe by email. I can't wait to hear your ideas.

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Building with Straws | Simple Engineering Challenge for Kids

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If you are a regular around here you know just how much we love building engineering challenges for kids. So far, we have tried building structures with gumdrops, candy hearts, candy pumpkins, and jelly beans. After reading my friend's new book, The Curious Kid's Science Book, I knew we had to share our favorite engineering challenge from the book: building with straws.

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Free and exciting new ideas from our creative department. Download and print out fun instructions to spark your creative straws and connectors play time. To help enliven your building skills we've organized our instructions into three color coded categories; Easy, Intermediate, and Challenging.

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VIAHART Brain Flakes 500 Piece Interlocking Plastic Disc Set | A Creative and Educational Alternative to Building Blocks | Tested for Children's Safety | A Great STEM Toy for Both Boys and Girls!

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Product Description Brain Flakes® brand discs from VIAHART are a new construction toy which teaches both boys and girls spatial thinking and lets their imaginations run wild! Every jar contains over 500 discs, which means hours of endless fun and engineering education.