In a lot of ways, the roller coaster feels like a spot-on metaphor for the parenting and caregiving process—especially during COVID-19.
Today’s at home activity lets you and your little ones dig even deeper into what makes a roller coaster the fun, thrilling, terrifying ride that it is. Talk about what makes rides scary, then build your own with everyday, easy-to-find materials.
Whoop-de-Doo Roller Coaster Sculpture
Goals:
Explore how to turn 2 dimensional materials into a free -standing 3d sculpture
Create an imaginary roller coaster ride
Children will:
Cut, fold, curl and tape paper to create an imaginary roller coaster
Describe how the ride “works”
What you’ll need:
Paper of various weights—from newsprint to cardstock
One flat piece of cardboard—the bigger the better
Scissors
Tape
How to:
Think about your favorite roller coaster or look at images online. What makes roller coasters so exciting and fun? Use your hands to show how the ride goes up, turns corners and swoops down suddenly. Is the ride always fast? Sometimes people scream—why do you think that is?
Cut some of the paper about ½ to 1-inch wide strips, making sure to keep them as long as possible. Folding the paper first or drawing a line can help with cutting a straight line.
Manipulate the paper to make a roller coaster, for example:
Roll the paper strips around your finger or a pencil
Make accordion folds (back and forth like a fan). Press the folds with your finger or a ruler to get sharp edges.
Twist paper to make sticks
Roll bigger pieces to make tubes. You can cut tabs at the bottom to create a base.
Use the flat piece of cardboard as the amusement park grounds where your roller coaster will live. Place and tape the paper strips you’ve been folding and rolling.
Combine strips to build a three-dimensional structure that includes an exciting route---up and around with peaks and dips. Problem solve how to make the ride stable by creating a base you can tape to the cardboard or adding supports.
Try to think like a tiny rider: Where would they start? Do you want to make it higher? Add more curves? Is your ride exciting enough? Is it too scary? How do you want to change it?
Name your ride and tell how it works. What happens first? What then? Where’s the part where someone might scream?
Add more rides to your amusement park. What other kinds of pretend rides would be fun?