Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Paper Plane Flight Trials: Free Printable Chart for Year 2
- ForYear 2
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Paper Plane Flight Trials is a free printable chart for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. Children fold three paper planes, fly each one three times and count the footsteps to where it lands. They record every go in a table, pick a champion and think about what they would change.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. You need paper, a pencil and a clear space. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children begin with a checklist to tick off as they work: fold the planes carefully, stand on the same start line, throw with the same push and count footsteps. They then fill in a table with a row for each plane and columns for Go 1, Go 2, Go 3 and Best. Numbered questions finish the sheet. Children choose a champion, give a reason and suggest a change.
- Plane
- Go 1
- Go 2
- Go 3
- Best
- I folded all three planes carefully.
- I stood on the same start line each time.
- I threw with the same push each time.
- I counted my footsteps to where it landed.
- Which plane is the champion?
- Why do you think it flew the furthest?
- What would you change to make it better?
How to run a fair flight trial
Mark one start line
Use a strip of masking tape, a rolled up sock or a skipping rope. Every plane is thrown from behind the same line, so no plane gets a head start.
Keep the push the same
Show your child a gentle, steady throw. Say "same push" before each go. A fair test only works when the thrower does the same thing every time.
Count with normal steps
Walk from the start line to where the plane landed and count each step aloud. One child should do all the counting, so the steps stay about the same size.
Fill in the table straight away
Write the number in the table after each go, before the next plane flies. Then it is easy to look across the three goes and choose the best one.
Why test paper planes in design and technology?
Design and technology at Key Stage 1 is about designing, making and evaluating. Paper planes suit all three. Children make something simple, try it out and then judge how well it worked. They do not have to guess. They have numbers in a table to look at, which gives their opinions real evidence.
Footsteps are a good first unit for measuring distance. They are always to hand and they need no equipment. They are not the same for every person, so the same child should count each time. That is a useful lesson in fair testing. Later, children move on to rulers and metres, and they will remember why a standard unit helps.
Fly planes in a clear space, away from faces, windows and other people. Throw only when everyone is standing behind the thrower. Take care on stairs and slippery floors while walking to count footsteps.
Fun facts about flying
- Gravity pulls everything towards the ground, including paper planes.
- Air is all around us, even though we cannot see it. Anything that moves through the air pushes past it.
- Real aeroplanes are tested many times before they carry passengers.
- Engineers change one thing at a time when they test a design. That way they know what made the difference.
- A paper plane has no engine. It begins to move because someone gives it a push.
Skills and curriculum link
- Fair testing
- Measuring in footsteps
- Recording in a table
- Comparing numbers
- Evaluating a design
- Talking about ideas
Ideas to help your child
- Fair testA fair test changes only one thing. On this sheet, the planes can differ, but the start line, the push and the counter stay the same.
- Repeat the trialFlying each plane three times shows what a plane usually does. One go alone can be a lucky or unlucky one.
- Count aloudCounting out loud helps children keep their place. Say "one, two, three" as each footstep lands.
- Look at the tableAsk your child to run a finger along each row. Which number is the biggest in that row? Then compare the Best column.
Key words
- TrialA test. You try something out to see how well it works.
- Fair testA test where you keep everything the same except the one thing you are checking.
- Start lineThe place everyone throws from, so every go begins in the same place.
- ChampionThe winner. On this sheet, it is the plane that does best in the trials.
- EvaluateThink about how well something worked and what could be better.
- DesignA plan for how something will look and work.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Give page 1 to your child and keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Mark a start line on the floor. Read the checklist together, so your child knows what a fair test needs.
- Let your child fold the three planes, then fly each one three times. Count the footsteps and fill in the table after every go.
- Talk through the questions. Ask your child to point to the numbers in the table that support their answers.
- Check against page 2. Come back another day and try a new fold or a different start line.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Work in pairs. One child throws and the other counts the footsteps aloud. Fly one plane at a time and fill in its row before starting the next. A grown-up can point to the next box in the table so the child knows where to write.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to change one thing on the champion plane, such as a fold or the paper size. Fly it three times from the same start line and record the results. Did the change help? Talk about how they know.
Make it a game
Hold a class or family final. Each champion plane flies once from the start line. Everyone guesses the number of footsteps before the throw, then counts together. The closest guess scores a point. Cheer for the winner.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forPlanes are thrown from different places, so the results cannot be compared.
Try thisMark the start line with tape or a rope. Ask your child to stand with toes behind it for every go.
Watch forThe push is harder on some goes than on others.
Try thisPractise a gentle, steady throw first. Say "same push" before every go, then take turns being the thrower.
Watch forFootsteps are counted with giant strides one time and tiny steps the next.
Try thisAgree on normal walking steps. Let the same child count each time, so the steps are about the same size.
Watch forThe last go is written in the Best column, even if an earlier go went further.
Try thisLook across the three goes in the row together. Choose the one that went furthest and write that number.
Talk about it
- What do you think will happen when you let the plane go?
- Why do we stand on the same start line every time?
- Why do we fly each plane three times and not just once?
- What did you notice about the plane that landed closest to the line?
- If you made a new plane, what would you keep the same and what would you change?
- How could you explain your results to someone who did not see the flights?
Take it off the page
Paper plane gallery
Fold planes from different types of paper, such as newspaper or a flyer. Decorate each one and give it a name. Line them up and talk about how they look different.
Garden distance walk
Take a ball or a beanbag outside. Throw it gently and count the footsteps to where it lands. Try again and see if the count changes.
Design a plane
Draw a plane you would like to make. Label the parts and say which part you think matters most. Then fold it and see what happens.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first plane, then let them lead. Keep the tone playful. Ask what they notice and praise careful folding, steady throws and clear counting, not only the longest flight.
Teachers
Use it as a design and technology starter, a table activity or a plenary after a making lesson. It needs only paper, pencils and a taped start line. Pairs work well, with one thrower and one counter.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider design and technology plan. It pairs well with books about flight, outdoor play and everyday talk. Reprint the sheet for brothers and sisters, or repeat it later with new folds.
Where this skill fits
Before this sheet, children usually build and test simple things, count in ones and compare numbers. They learn to say which is more and which is less. They also begin to talk about what they like or dislike about something they have made.
After it, children can measure with rulers and metre sticks, record results in tables and charts, and plan tests of their own. In design and technology, they go on to design, make and evaluate in more detail, and to explain why they chose a particular design.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Paper Plane Flight Trials for?
It is written for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. Younger children can join in with help, and older children can try the stretch idea. It suits both home and classroom.
- What will children practise?
Children practise fair testing, measuring in footsteps and evaluating a design. They fold paper planes, record each flight in a table and then say which plane did best and what they would change.
- What do I need to do the activity?
You need the printed sheet, a pencil, some paper for folding and a clear space with a start line. A strip of tape on the floor is enough. No other equipment is needed.
- What if it feels too hard?
Work in pairs. One child throws and one counts the footsteps aloud. Fly one plane at a time and fill in each row before moving on. Page 2 has more help ideas for the grown-up.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or another class, or repeat it later with new paper plane designs.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing and marking a start line on the floor.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. It also gets children moving, talking and writing by hand.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.