The weather is finally cooling off, and that means you and your child will be spending more time inside. But inside time doesn’t have to be boring! Today, we’re going to show you a simple STEAM project that will challenge your child to think critically and put his/her engineering skills to the test! For STEAM Saturday this week, you’ll be building Paper Bridges!
This activity can be done with items you may already have sitting around the house. You’ll need:
- Paper
- Two thick books or small boxes
- Tape
- Pennies (or other small objects to use as weights – ie. rocks)
Start by laying your books on a flat surface around 10 inches apart. Place a single, unfolded piece of paper across the books and place a penny in the middle of the paper. Does the bridge stay up, or does it collapse? If it holds up, add more pennies until it falls through the space between the books.
Now, fold the paper in half lengthwise and try again. Can your bridge hold more pennies?
Next, fold the paper in half lengthwise twice, and then fold up the edges to create a channel shape. Use tape to hold the walls of your channel in place so it doesn’t unfold. Lay your bridge across the books and place a penny in the center. Now, keep adding pennies along the length of the bridge to simulate cars or people spread out across the space.
If you can place pennies all the way across the bridge, start adding a second layer of pennies. Add pennies until the bridge collapses.
Now, it’s time to test your engineering skills! What can you do to make your bridge stronger? Try changing the shape, the width of the base, or the number of times you fold the paper. Which allows you to hold the most pennies? Is it a combination of changes?
As always, get as creative as you want, and above all, have lots of fun learning together!
We’ll see you right back here next Saturday for another STEAM Saturday activity! Scroll through the rest of our website to learn how Critchlow Adkins is Building Brighter Futures for the children and families we serve!
