How can you fit your body through a single piece of paper? Walking through paper is a neat STEM challenge for various ages and a great icebreaker for a group activity! Learn about perimeter in math, then throw in chemistry with physical properties and physical changes. We have lots more fun STEM activities for you to try!

HOW TO WALK THROUGH A SINGLE SHEET OF PAPER

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PAPER STEM CHALLENGE

Get your kids thinking outside of the box with this walk through paper trick. STEM doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive!

Plus, make sure to read on about how you can incorporate chemistry concepts into this project with physical properties and physical change.

Some of the best STEM challenges are also the cheapest! Keep it fun and playful, and not make it too difficult that it takes forever to complete. All you need for this challenge below is a piece of paper and scissors.

Take up the challenge to walk through paper. Cut your paper and see what is the largest hole you can make.

While you are at it, check out these other fun paper STEM challenges…

STEM QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

These questions for reflection are perfect to use with kiddos of all ages to talk about how the challenge went and what they might do differently next time.

Use these questions for reflection with your kids after they have completed the STEM challenge to encourage discussion of results and critical thinking.

Older kiddos can use these questions as a writing prompt for a STEM notebook. For younger kiddos, use the questions as a fun conversation!

  1. What were some of the challenges you discovered along the way?
  2. What worked well and what did not work well?
  3. What would you do differently next time?
  4. Why do you think cutting the paper in this way helps?

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE PRINTABLE PAPER STEM CHALLENGE!

WALKING THROUGH PAPER CHALLENGE

You could introduce the challenge and start the activity with a discussion. Ask for ideas and suggestions for what you could do to a piece of paper to make a hole big enough for a person to walk through.

Check out our ideas at the end for extending this activity with your kids, too!

SUPPLIES:

  • Printable Paper Cutting Template
  • Paper
  • Scissors

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Print out the lined template.

Tip: Go ahead and color in a design if you want!

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STEP 2: Fold template along center line.

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STEP 3: Cut along each line.

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STEP 4: When all the lines are cut, take your scissors and cut along the black line where the paper is folded, but only where you see the black line. This leaves the first and last folded sections in tact.

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STEP 5: Now open your piece of paper and see how big you have made it! Can you walk through your piece of paper?

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HOW DOES WALKING THROUGH PAPER WORK?

Did you know that walking through paper requires a bit of math too? The perimeter of a shape is the closed path that surrounds the shape. When you cut the paper, you increase its perimeter.

This enlarges the hole in the middle of the paper as you expand the paper outwards so that you can walk through a single sheet of paper.

EXPLORE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Did you know that walking through paper also includes some basic chemistry concepts to explore? Let’s talk about physical properties!

Physical properties in chemistry refer to characteristics or qualities of matter that can be observed or measured without changing the substance’s identity. These properties help us identify and describe different substances. Here are some common examples of the physical properties of paper:

What do you notice about your sheet of paper?

  1. Color: Paper can come in various colors, such as white, off-white, or colored paper. The color of the paper can be observed and compared.
  2. Texture: Paper can have different textures, such as smooth, rough, or textured surfaces. Kids can feel the texture of paper by touching it with their hands.
  3. Flexibility: Paper is flexible and can be easily bent or folded. Kids can experiment with different folding techniques to create origami or other paper crafts.
  4. Opacity: Depending on its thickness and composition, paper can be transparent, translucent, or opaque. This property can be demonstrated by holding paper against a light source to see if any light passes through.
  5. Absorbency: Paper can absorb liquids to some extent. Kids can experiment by placing drops of water or other liquids on paper to observe how quickly the liquid is absorbed.
  6. Strength: Paper can vary in strength, with some types being more durable and tear-resistant than others. Kids can test the strength of different paper types by applying force or attempting to tear them.
  7. Weight: Paper can have different weights or thicknesses, which can affect its durability and intended use. Kids can compare the weight of different types of paper by holding them in their hands or using a balance scale.

Look at your paper before cutting it, and note the physical properties. After you cut the paper, observe the changes. You can learn more about physical changes vs. chemical changes in chemistry. Paper is an excellent example of physical change. Look for a paper challenge with a physical change here.

EXTEND THE WALKING THROUGH PAPER CHALLENGE:

Once you’ve completed the activity, why not try again with different materials or methods to see what happens. Try with a larger piece of paper, like a newspaper, or a smaller one.

What will happen if you cut more lines spaced closely together? What about fewer lines? What is the largest hole you can make?

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