Engineering with Paper: Design a Rollercoaster

Engineering with Paper: Design a Rollercoaster

Join us to make your own miniature amusement park style roller coaster using only simple materials you have at home. This hands-on workshop will get you cutting, folding, connecting and building in a matter of minutes. You will start by learning a paper engineering “alphabet” of techniques and then transform ordinary supplies into fun projects. Unleash creative possibilities while also learning great activities to do with recycled paper. Explore engineering, architecture and physics while inventing and creating your own roller coaster. Explore the magic of EngineeringwithPaper.com projects.

What inspired you to make this project?:
Paper is so commonly used for drawing and writing but most people do not know how to use it for 3-dimensional projects. Engineering with Paper is about teaching methods of rolling, folding, cutting and shaping paper to make almost anything. With only paper, tape and scissors, our projects show you how to make a set of 3-dimensional shapes, (we call it our “alphabet” of shapes), that can be used to create unlimited projects. For example, paper cones, cylinders, trays and tracks, when combined, become creatures, cities, playgrounds, habitats and so much more. Every Engineering with Paper packet shows you how to make the shapes and how to connect them to make a project.

What are some of the challenges you have encountered and how did you address them?:
The biggest challenge was figuring out how to translate our Engineering with Paper concepts into visual instructions. We spent months creating, revising, testing, revising again. And then pivoting to meet the needs of teachers during remote learning. We now have a system for teaching kids and adults how to transform paper into everything from toys and games to science models and more.

Project Website
Categories: Curriculum, Fun & Games, Making