Paper airplanes offer a fun way to get kids excited about science and art all at once. By inspiring experimentation with shapes and tapping into their creative side, easy paper airplane designs for kids let your children show off their creativity. We know all about boosting kids’ creativity at Crème de la Crème, thanks to enrichment programs such as our Art Studio. Our comprehensive learning approach incorporates art to build kids’ cognitive, social-emotional, and multisensory skills. Learn more about our whole-child approach to education and find your nearest location to schedule a tour.

What Are Some Fun and Easy Paper Airplane Designs for Kids?

Here at Crème de la Crème, we know the value of science, technology, engineering, art, and math (S.T.E.A.M.) education from an early age. Our own S.T.E.A.M. Lab encourages a love of the arts and sciences in little ones, showing your children they don’t have to choose between creative and analytical thinking. That’s a love you can foster at home, too.

Experiment with these easy paper airplane designs and encourage your children to do the same. You can have flying contests and see which airplane type flies the farthest. You can also take some time to decorate your airplanes to add a creative element to the activity. Making paper airplanes together is a great way to foster creativity, all while enjoying some quality family time. We’ve put together some of our favorite entertaining and easy paper airplane designs for kids.

Dart Paper Airplane

Let’s start with a classic: the dart paper airplane. Follow these steps to kick off the enjoyable time you’ll have experimenting with your kids:

1. Lay paper horizontally on a clean, flat surface, such as a desk or table.
2. Color both sides of the paper, adding patterns and designs to decorate the folded paper. This step is optional, but it adds a lot of fun while encouraging creativity.
3. Fold your paper in half the long way, remembering to put in strong creases on each fold.
4. Open the paper again.
5. Turn the paper vertically and open it again.
6. Fold down the top right-hand corner diagonally toward the line in the center. Repeat this on the left side. Once you complete this step, your paper will look like a house.
7. Repeat the previous step, folding the top right corner again. Start at the new crease when you do, folding in toward the center. Repeat with the left side. After completing this step, your paper will be a long triangle. You’ll have about an inch at the bottom that isn’t folded.
8. Fold the airplane in half again the long way along the center crease you made back in the third step.
9. To make your wings, lay the paper with the crease facing you, then fold the top edge back down so it meets the middle crease.
10. Flip your paper and do the same thing on the opposite side.

You’re ready to fly your plane. Hold it lightly in the middle of the center crease at eye level or slightly above your head, then quickly move your hand forward while aiming it just a bit upward. Release the plane and watch it soar.

Chase Paper Airplane

This airplane is built on the classic dart paper airplane. Start by performing steps one to eight above. Then follow these steps:

1. Have your paper lying down with the crease facing you. Now fold down the top edge, stopping at about an inch past your middle crease.
2. Flip the paper and repeat on the opposite side. You’ve now created wings.
3. Fold the right wing back toward your center line.
4. Repeat with the left wing.

You’re ready to fly this one. Changing the wings just slightly can alter how the plane flies. You might find that this new wing shape gives your airplane more lift and less drag, allowing it to fly farther. Experiment and see what you find out with your kids.

Rocket Paper Airplane

Here’s a fun twist on making paper airplanes — making paper rockets. Follow these steps:

1. Grab an 8.5-by-11-inch sheet of paper and cut a 1.5-inch strip from the side.
2. Fold your paper in half, first vertically and then horizontally, to create creases.
3. Fold the top of your paper about a quarter of the way down, aligning it with your center crease.
4. Fold the paper down again.
5. To do a mountain fold, fold the paper in half. When you complete this step, you should have your folded edges on the outside.
6. Flip over your paper to get the folded edge on the left. Now fold the top corner down so it lines up with the paper’s left edge.
7. Repeat the previous step, folding the other side in the same way.
8. Fold the wings down one by one, making your fold line about an inch above the bottom of your airplane.
9. Cut a tail using the strip of paper you cut off from the main paper at the beginning. If you prefer, you can create a wider tail by using a separate piece of paper. Have fun experimenting and getting creative with your kids.
10. To hold the plane together, staple the bottom by placing one staple at the front and one at the back. Ensure that the back staple goes through both sides of the airplane AND the tail.

Now you’re ready to have fun flying your rocket plane. See if it flies differently than your standard paper airplane.

Super Glider Paper Airplane

This paper airplane shape is a blast to make. Add to the experiment by putting weight on its nose. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Turn an 8.5-by-11-inch piece of paper so the wider side is horizontal. Fold the top down about 2 inches.
2. Using a valley fold, fold your paper in half.
3. Then fold the paper’s top corner down to the right side.
4. Repeat the step above by folding the other side down so it matches.
5. Fold each wing down about an inch from the bottom.
6. Fold each wing up now, ending around 1.5 inches from the tip.
7. Add a paperclip to the plane’s nose.

You can test how many paperclips make the plane fly best. Have fun, little fliers.

Are You Ready To Inspire Your Child’s Creativity?

We hope you enjoy making these fun and easy paper airplane designs with your kids at home. Crème de la Crème has demonstrated excellence in providing children with a full scope of educational and developmental programs, beginning with our preschool program. Contact us today to schedule a tour.

person holding paper plane by Kenny Eliason is licensed with Unsplash License