Paper Airplane Challenge: Today's STEM Play of the Day

Apr 22, 2020

Though making paper airplanes may just seem like a childhood pastime, you must actually utilize STEM principles for your plane to fly far. In today’s Paper Airplane Challenge, use your engineering skills to design and test multiple paper airplane models to see which design flies the furthest.


  • Paper
  • Measuring tape or ruler
  • Something to mark the throwing line and landing point of your paper airplane (tape, coins, pencils, etc.) 


  1. Fold your piece of paper into a paper airplane 
  2. Find a space inside your house or outside, large enough to throw your paper airplane.
  3. Throw your paper airplane! Measure and mark how far it traveled from your throwing spot. 
  4. Modify your airplane and throw it again! Repeat five times, testing different folding methods to make your plane fly further.


  1. How did you modify your paper airplane?
  2. Did one design fly further? 
  3. What was your best distance/model? Why?

Challenge your friends and family to see if they can design a paper airplane that beats your best distance!

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