How to make a paper airplane that flies far

What your kid makes

Your kid ends with a folded paper dart, a record card with every throw measured in steps, and a new record after testing one change at a time. It's a first taste of how engineers test and improve a design.

The 4 lessons

1. 

   Lesson 1. Fold the dart

   Six sharp folds turn one sheet of paper into a dart.

   1. Fold the paper in half the long way and open it
   2. Fold the corners, then the new edges, to the middle line
   3. Fold the wings down and open them flat

   Where: At home

   Watch it free above

2. Lesson 2. Why it flies

   Air pushes up under the wings, and the heavy nose keeps the plane steady.

   1. Throw the plane five times
   2. Watch whether it dives, swoops, or glides
   3. Hold it under the wings and push it forward

   Where: At home

   In the app

3. Lesson 3. Test and measure

   Three throws, counted in steps, show how far the plane really flies.

   1. Tape a start line on the floor
   2. Throw three times and count the steps to each landing
   3. Write the longest throw down as the record

   Where: At home

   In the app

4. Lesson 4. Beat your record

   Changing one thing at a time shows what makes the plane fly farther.

   1. Change one thing, like a bent wing edge or a paper clip
   2. Test it three times and compare with the record
   3. Hold a family contest

   Where: At home

   In the app

Lesson 1 transcript: Fold the dart

1. 0:00

   Hi, I'm Tek! Today you fold a paper airplane that flies far. All you need is one sheet of paper.

2. 0:08

   Fold the paper in half the long way. Press the crease hard. Then open it again.

3. 0:15

   Fold the two top corners down, so they meet at the middle line. Like a little roof.

4. 0:21

   Now fold the new slanted edges to the middle line again. Make it sharp.

5. 0:27

   Fold it in half on the middle line, with the flaps inside.

6. 0:32

   Fold one wing down, so its top edge meets the bottom. Flip it over. Do the other wing the same way.

7. 0:40

   Open the wings flat. Hold it under the wings, and push it forward. Whoosh!

8. 0:47

   Your turn. Fold your dart, one step at a time. Then give it a test flight, and press Next.