Make a Paper Helicopter

🎂 6 + years ⏱️ 15 min 📍 Anywhere ⭐ medium

Imagine throwing a strip of paper into the air, and instead of just falling down, it starts to spin. Quietly. Like a real helicopter. Almost like magic. You may have made paper airplanes that glide through the air. But this helicopter is different. It doesn't fly far, but it dances through the air. And that's what makes it special. Ready? Grab a strip of paper and get started.

What you'll need

A sheet of paper
A pair of scissors

How it works

Take a sheet of paper and cut off a long, narrow strip. About as wide as three fingers. Fold the short side over the short side. This creates a crease in the middle, which will help you when cutting.
Cut one half from the top to the crease. But only halfway! Don't cut all the way through. Now you have two 'wings'. Next, cut about one centimeter from the middle crease on both sides.
Then, fold a small piece inwards on the left and right. This is the closed half, without the cut wings.
Now go down one centimeter and make another small cut on both sides. Again, fold inwards.
Bend the two upper wings in opposite directions. One forward, the other backward. These are the rotor blades.
Stand on a chair, climbing frame, or just hold the helicopter high in the air. Let it fall, don't throw it! And watch how it spins, dances, and hovers.
Your helicopter doesn't just fall. It is slowed down by the air, which is called air resistance. The wings ensure that it spins instead of just falling straight down. Just like a real helicopter. Only without a motor.