Paper Airplane Games for Kids
Hit Your Target
Students get to practice accuracy with their paper airplanes.
Materials for each group
- Paper airplanes made by each student
- Target
- Large board with up to 5 holes cut out
- Each hole is a different size and different amount of points
- The smaller the hole the higher the points
- Recording sheet
- Pencils
Rules
- Students compete in groups of 4-5.
- Each student tries to get his/her paper airplane through a specific hole to earn the most points.
- Players decide on the order of play (who throws first, second, etc.).
- Player one gets 3 chances to earn points. He/she will tally the total points earned and record it.
- Example: Throw 1 - 10 points, throw 2 - miss, throw 3 - 30 points. Total points = 40.
- After each player has taken a turn, the student with the most points wins!
Perfect Landing
Students compete to see whose paper airplane goes the farthest.
Materials for each group
- Paper airplane made by each student
- Landing Strip
- Place tape on the floor in up to 5 different sections
- The first section should be labeled as 10, then 20, and so on
- Roll of masking tape
- Recording sheet
- Pencils
- Yardsticks or meter sticks
Rules
- Students play in groups of 3-4.
- Make sure each group is spread out so there is enough room for play. You could set up the landing strips ahead of time or have students do it before play begins.
- Students in each group decide the order of play.
- Player one lines up approximately 5 feet behind the start of the landing strip. He/she will toss their paper airplane as far as they can in the direction of the landing strip. After landing, students will determine its distance.
- If the airplane lands farther away from the landing strip, the yardstick could be used to help gauge the amount of points earned.
- Also, if the airplane is halfway between two numbers, they could use halfway marks such as 15, 25, etc.
- After each player takes a turn, the student with the highest score wins!
Loopty Loop Through the Hoop
How high does your airplane fly? Students get to see how high and accurate their paper airplanes will fly.
Materials for each group
- Paper airplanes made by each student
- At least 3 hula hoops
- Optional: string, yarn, or fishing line for hanging
- Recording sheet/board
- Pencils, markers, or chalk
- Tape measure
Rules
- Divide your class into two teams.
- Both teams could play at the same time if the hoops are hung. If students have to hold the hoops, have one team of students hold them while the other team throws their airplanes.
- Decide the height you want the hoops and confirm with the measuring tape. Example: 2 feet, 4 feet, 6 feet, etc. Position the hoops far enough apart for students to go from one to the next, like an obstacle course.
- If you have students holding the hula hoops, double check their height often. Rotate students to avoid tired arms!
- Players from the first team decide playing order. All players on team one will go before it's team two's turn.
- Players go one at a time to see how many hoops their paper airplane can make it through. Teams earn 1 point for each hoop the airplane passes through. Be sure to tally the scores.
- When all of team one has taken a turn, team two's players go.
- The team with the most points wins!
Flight School
Test your students' constructions by seeing whose plane flies the best!
Materials for each pair
- Landing strip (set up as the one used in the 'Perfect Landing' game)
- At least 3 hula hoops (set up the same way as the hoops in 'Loopty Loop Through the Hoop' game)
- Paper airplanes made by each partner
- 10 quarters (other coins could also be used)
- Tape
- Recording sheet:
| Round 1 - Distance |
Round 2 - Stability |
Round 3 - Height |
Round 4 - Cargo |
| Winner |
Winner |
Winner |
Winner |
Rules
- Partners go head-to-head to determine whose paper airplane flies better!
- Round 1 - Each partner throws their airplane on a landing strip to see how far it travels before landing. The farthest distance wins!
- Round 2 - One partner throws his/her airplane as far as possible, trying to keep it straight. The object is to avoid spins, turns, and loops! The next partner takes his/her turn. Partners decide whose plane was the most stable.
- If for some reason partners don't agree, bring in the mediator - you!
- Round 3 - Partners go one at a time to see how many hoops they can toss their airplane through. The hoops will be at increasing heights. Students get one point for every hoop their plane passes through. The partner with the most points wins…or it could be a tie!
- Students could do a tie breaker by raising the last hoop higher.
- Round 4 - Partners go one at a time to see how many coins his/her airplane can hold while flying.
- Students will go back to the landing strip to determine whose plane goes farther, if in fact the planes can hold the same number of coins.
- Start with one partner taping one coin on his/her airplane and giving it a toss. Keep taping coins, one at a time, until the plane no longer maintains flight. Then, it's the next partner's turn.
- The partner whose plane holds the most coins and/or goes the farthest with those coins wins!
- The partner who won the most rounds has the better flying paper airplane!
