Paper Bridge Challenge
Teams use only paper and a little tape to build a bridge between two stacks of books, then test how many small objects it holds.
- Time
- 20 to 30 minutes
- People
- 4 to 30
- Where
- In person
- You need
- 10 sheets of paper per team, 12 inches of tape per team, books for the bridge supports, a pile of identical small objects such as erasers or binder clips, ruler
How to play
- Form teams of three or four and give each team ten sheets of paper and a foot of tape.
- Set up two stacks of books per team, eight inches apart and the same height.
- Explain the goal: a bridge spanning the gap that holds as many small objects as possible without touching the table in between.
- Allow two minutes of planning with no building, then fifteen minutes to build.
- Test each bridge by placing objects one at a time in the middle until it sags to the table or collapses.
- Count the objects held, crown the strongest bridge, and ask teams which folding trick made the biggest difference.
Tips
- Share the secret after testing, not before: folding paper into tubes or accordion pleats makes it far stronger.
- Give each person a role, such as folder, tester or recorder, so everyone stays involved.
Variations
- Longest span: keep the load fixed and see which team can bridge the widest gap.
- Silent finish: teams may not talk during the last five minutes of building.