Flying Saucer

We’ve spotted some extraterrestrial activity! How far can your alien saucer fly?

What You’ll Need:

Paper plate (if you want to turn this into an experiment, create multiple saucers using multiple disposable plates with different thicknesses, weights, sizes, etc.)

  • Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Stickers to decorate your saucer (we used binder hole reinforcement stickers to look like windows on the saucer)

Younger children may need an adult’s help with the cutting in this project.

Instructions:

  • Step 1: On the back side of the paper plate, draw a circle in the center of the paper plate and divide the circle into triangle pieces like a pizza (see photo above). You can decide how many pieces you would like to divide your circle into, which can also be part of your experiment of how well your saucer flies!

Child drawing on the back side of the paper plate a circle in the center of the paper plate and divided the circle into triangle pieces like a pizza.

  • Step 2: Have an adult help you cut out every other triangle piece so that half of the triangles are still attached to the outer portion of the paper plate, but there is a gap between each triangle (see photo for a better visual).

Adult helping childcut out every other triangle piece so that half of the triangles are still attached to the outer portion of the paper plate.

  • Step 3: Bend the still attached triangle pieces up toward the front side of the paper plate (see photo above) to help give your saucer better aerodynamics!
  • Step 4: Decorate the top of your saucer with stickers.

Child throwing flying saucer in the air.

  • Step 5: You’re ready to watch your saucer fly! Toss it like you would a frisbee! You can experiment with bending some of the triangles down, using different types of disposable plates, etc. to see which saucer flies the furthest. 

Check out other Science & Math Activities from Camp Little Victors:

Find more science and math activities from Camp Little Victors.