Preschool Physics – Fun with Paper Airplanes

Paper airplanes are a wonderful way to teach your preschooler all about physics. They're cheap, disposable and lots of fun. Preschoolers can learn a great deal about physics by doing nothing more than experimenting with paper airplanes.

What your Preschooler will Learn:

About gravity

About wind

About air currents in a house

Basic aerodynamics

What you Need for this Preschool Science Experiment:

Paper

Pens

Scissors

Your Scientific Journal

Paper clips

What To Do:

Step one: Make a paper airplane as instructed on www.bestpaperairplanes.com. Keep it simple and don’t make complex airplanes—it’s not necessary. You can also try an Eagle Display.

Step two: If your preschooler chooses, let them decorate the airplane.

Step three: Have your preschooler play with their paper airplane. Have them stand at the top of stairs and fly it down. What happens when your preschooler throws it up near an air vent? Try it outside to see what would happen when your preschooler throws it into the wind.

Step four: Add a paperclip to the front of the paper plane. What happens? How does it fly differently?

Step five: Make a few line cuts in the sides of the paper airplane. What happens now?

Step six: Have your preschooler draw pictures and make notes in their scientific journal.

For Preschool Educators:

This is a great experiment to do on a windy day. Have the paper airplanes pre-made and write your preschooler’s names on them. Then take your preschoolers out and watch the airplanes fly!

Like this article? Get more like it in your inbox. Subscribe today to our free weekly newsletter.