You are here: Home / Activities / Cheap Thrills — Airplane Racers

Cheap Thrills — Airplane Racers

May 26, 2010 by
Tweet
Share
Pin

For a fun time, make up some paper airplanes (Emily has a slight obsession with making these lately), attach some bent paper clips and tie a long piece of string. Race your airplanes!!!

Emily thought this was so much fun, and Clara was quick to pick up on the racing fun too! Since Clara isn’t quite old enough to be able to throw a paper airplane, having a string to race them along worked perfectly.
Shake, shake, shake your string!!
Ready…. set……..

……………..GO!!!!

Filed Under: Activities, kids, Outdoors, Summer, toddlers Tagged With: ,

Comments

  1. MaryAnne says
    May 26, 2010 at 2:38 pm

    What a great idea! This looks like something Mike would enjoy doing with the kids, thanks for the inspiration! =)

  2. Valerie @ Frugal Family Fun Blog says
    May 26, 2010 at 3:09 pm

    @ MaryAnne — I can picture Mike doing this with the kids and attaching small engines to the planes. Hee hee! Have fun!!!

  3. Ticia says
    May 26, 2010 at 3:43 pm

    I bet we could actually fly those airplanes, unlike others……

  4. Raising a Happy Child says
    May 26, 2010 at 4:12 pm

    I like the idea of actually making those planes fly. How fun that Clara could join this fun too!

  5. Jena says
    May 26, 2010 at 4:20 pm

    how fun! my college age son wanted a paper airplane book for Christmas! Your girls are just adorable. 🙂

  6. Lenetta @ Nettacow says
    May 26, 2010 at 4:32 pm

    I think Clara had an advantage, being closer to the ground and all. :>) Then again, Emily has more of a gravity advantage. Oh, the physics!!! Fun!

  7. Phyllis says
    May 26, 2010 at 4:35 pm

    We did something like it but with birds instead of airplanes.

    http://bergspot.blogspot.com/2009/08/camp-bergenholtz-day-9-bird-races-and.html

    My boys would probably like airplanes better.
    -Phyllis

  8. Wonder Mom says
    May 26, 2010 at 5:10 pm

    I do believe we will have to do this, since we still have planes leftover from Science last week…well, we still have crumpled planes leftover…perhaps we need to redo the planes too…

  9. Christy says
    May 26, 2010 at 6:59 pm

    This is a great idea. I'll have to try it soon. Just one question – do you tie the end of the string to something? Maybe I missed something there.

  10. Valerie @ Frugal Family Fun Blog says
    May 26, 2010 at 7:16 pm

    @ Christy — Yes, you have to tie the string to something. We used the back of a lawn chair, and it worked well! They had so much fun doing this, and Emily asked if we can go back outside to race airplanes again! Have fun!!

  11. Just Breathe says
    May 26, 2010 at 7:16 pm

    Really cute idea 🙂

  12. Valerie @ Frugal Family Fun Blog says
    May 26, 2010 at 7:18 pm

    @ Jena — I'm not sure, but I think Mark might have a book on paper airplanes. I'll have to check with him. Some of the designs can be very complex feats of engineering! Is your son studying to be an engineer?

    @ Lenetta — Emily definitely had a height advantage, but Clara had so much fun trying to keep up with her big sister that it really didn't matter. 🙂

  13. Anna says
    May 26, 2010 at 8:38 pm

    I think you might have the cutest airplane pilots around.

  14. BabyMommaBlog says
    May 26, 2010 at 9:09 pm

    hahaha This does seem fun! I want to try this with Isabella. What do you do? just take a string and a regular paper airplane?

    Thanks for the fun tip! Def going to do this with Isa!

  15. Mama Randa Morning Glory says
    May 26, 2010 at 9:17 pm

    My boy has a sudden obsession with paper airplanes as well.

  16. lifessmalltreasures says
    May 26, 2010 at 9:51 pm

    I am a bit confused on how to attach the airplane can you please explain?

    I would love to do this with my son's Cubscouts!

    Thanks
    ~Amy

  17. Valerie @ Frugal Family Fun Blog says
    May 26, 2010 at 11:04 pm

    @ lifessmalltreasures — Sure! All I did was bend 2 paper clips (to make loops) and attached them to the inside of the airplane using masking tape. I glued the airplane shut, then threaded the string through the loops. They are a lot of fun!! I bet it would be a great hit with the cubscouts — great idea!

  18. Kelly says
    May 27, 2010 at 5:18 am

    I LOVE THIS! SO MUCH! I'm glad to find your blog.

  19. Sherri says
    May 27, 2010 at 8:38 pm

    This is a great idea! Love it!
    I will be doing this soon…and of course linking it back to you!

  20. An Almost Unschooling Mom says
    May 29, 2010 at 2:04 pm

    Clara is so cute in that little dress – she just looks like summer!

  21. Tiffany says
    June 18, 2010 at 6:50 pm

    This looks very fun! Even making the bean bags is an arts and crafts project!

    Check your credit