Rosie Revere Engineer STEM Activity: Paper Plate Hovercraft

My kids are big into engineering and STEM, so when we found the book Rosie Revere Engineer, of course we had to buy it. This book is so much fun, because not only does it show kids that they can be inventors too, but it stresses the importance of failure as part of the engineering process. Rosie’s first design doesn’t work, but that’s totally OK!

Rosie Revere Engineer was our inspiration for this paper plate hovercraft. 

We decided since Rosie makes a flying machine, we ought to try and make one too.

My kids have been wanting to make a paper plate hovercraft for a while, so that is what we decided to do. We settled on this design because it uses the least number of supplies, and even my preschooler could help put it together.

First, cut a small hole in the center of your paper plate. Stick the straw through it.

Flip the plate upside down and move the straw so that the plate can lay flat on a table.

Cut off half of the straw sticking up from the plate.

Stick the balloon over the straw and tape with duct tape. Make sure no air can escape from the balloon through the hole in the top of the plate.

Stick another straw into the bottom straw on the top of the plate. Push it together to eliminate air holes.

Blow up the balloon by blowing into the straw.

Pinch the end of the balloon to hold the air inside.

Flip the plate upside down and place on a flat surface.

Release the balloon.

The air pressure from the balloon will cause an air pocket to form under the plate, allowing it to rise just slightly and move across the plate until the balloon runs out of air.

You’ve created your very own flying machine!