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STEM & Discovery

Explore paper flight, moving air, shadows, balance, sound, screen-free coding, and practical building challenges. Predict, compare, and revise with clear home and classroom guidance. Check suggested ages and supplies to find a project that suits your home or classroom.

Make a little room for discovery.

A question can be the start of an adventure. Explore ideas for building, observing, predicting, and trying again, from simple science investigations to hands-on math and screen-free coding games.

Science · Building · Math games · Screen-free coding

Activities to try

STEM & Discovery

Paper Airplane Investigation: Which Fold Flies Farther?

Fold two paper airplane designs, compare repeated flights, and record distances with clear folding steps and a safe indoor testing setup.

Ages 6–10 · 30–45 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Build a Paper Tower: A Freestanding Engineering Challenge

Build a freestanding paper tower with a fixed supply allowance, test its stability, and improve the base using clear engineering steps.

Ages 5–10 · 25–40 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Make a Paper Helicopter: Explore Spinning and Falling

Cut and fold two paper helicopters, compare rotor lengths, and observe repeated drops from a safe standing release position.

Ages 6–10 · 25–35 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Wind-Powered Paper Movers: An Air and Motion Investigation

Build folded paper movers and use a cardboard hand fan to compare sail sizes, motion, and repeated trials on a smooth surface.

Ages 5–9 · 20–35 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Build a Balance Sculpture: Explore Stable and Unstable Designs

Build a lightweight paper sculpture, explore how placement affects stability, and revise supports using a wide cardboard base.

Ages 5–10 · 25–40 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Flashlight Shadow Lab: What Changes a Shadow’s Size?

Use a flashlight and cardboard shape to compare shadow sizes at marked distances, with a clear indoor setup and observation record.

Ages 5–9 · 20–30 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Build a Cardboard Maze: An Introduction to Coding Directions

Build a tabletop coding grid, plan routes with forward and turn cards, and debug directions using a large paper character.

Ages 5–9 · 25–40 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Paper Roller-Coaster Tracks: Explore Slopes, Turns, and Speed

Build a low paper track for a toy vehicle, improve wide turns and smooth joins, and compare repeatable runs without loops or tall drops.

Ages 6–10 · 35–50 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Sound Detective: Compare Homemade Paper Instruments

Compare gentle paper crinkles, cardboard taps, and ridged-paper scrapes with optional listening and visual observation roles.

Ages 5–9 · 20–35 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Build a Moving Paper Picture: Explore Simple Mechanisms

Make a paper picture with a working pull tab, build a smooth guide sleeve, and troubleshoot a simple sliding mechanism step by step.

Ages 6–10 · 30–45 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Build a Ramp and Test a Toy Car: A Simple STEM Investigation

Test a toy car on two low ramps, measure its travel, repeat the runs, and compare results with clear setup and recording guidance.

Ages 5–10 · 25–40 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Build a Paper Chain: A Measuring and Engineering Challenge for Kids

Build and measure two paper chains from equal-sized sheets, compare strip widths, and discover how design choices change the result.

Ages 5–10 · 25–40 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Make a Pretend Ice Cream Shop: Counting, Patterns, and Creative Play

Open a paper ice cream shop with picture orders, scoop-counting games, and repeating patterns for imaginative home or classroom play.

Ages 4–8 · 25–40 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Build a Sponge Boat: A Simple Floating STEM Activity for Kids

Build and test a sponge boat with a lightweight sail, adult-prepared mast slot, and practical ways to explore floating and balance.

Ages 5–9 · 25–35 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Build a Cardboard Marble Run: A Design Challenge for Kids

Build a short cardboard marble run with open channels, smooth downhill joins, a catch tray, and clear testing steps for young builders.

Ages 6–10 · 35–50 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Sink or Float Activity for Kids: Predict, Test, and Compare

Explore a supervised sink-or-float activity with safe materials, simple predictions, clear observations, and home or classroom setup ideas.

Ages 4–8 · 20–30 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Paper Bridge Challenge: How Much Can Your Bridge Hold?

Compare flat, side-wall, and accordion paper bridges with clear folding directions, matching loads, and ideas for a new design.

Ages 6–10 · 35–45 minutes

STEM & Discovery

Build a Cardboard Animal Shelter: A STEM Challenge for Kids

Build a cardboard shelter for a toy animal with simple wall tabs, a working entrance, a lift-up roof, and playful ways to test and improve it.

Ages 5–9 · 30–45 minutes

More ways to explore.