Paper Bridge Load Test
Fold paper into flat, corrugated, and tube bridge shapes, then test how many coins each can hold before collapsing.
Thinking
7–12 years
25–45 min
Calm
Low mess
At home
What you need
- Several sheets of paper
- Two stacks of books to act as bridge supports
- Coins or small weights
- Tape
Setup
- Set two stacks of books a fixed distance apart
- Fold a sheet of paper flat and lay it across the gap as a bridge
- Add coins one at a time until it sags or collapses, and record the count
Play prompts
- Which shape do you predict will hold the most weight before we test it?
- Why do you think the folded shape holds more than the flat sheet?
- Can you design an even stronger bridge shape?
Ways to change it up
- Test a triangle-fold, a tube-fold, and an accordion-fold and rank them
- Run it as a sibling design competition for the strongest bridge
Safety notes
- Keep the coin stack stable so it doesn't topple onto small hands
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