Engineer at Home: DIY Roller Coaster

Science, technology, engineering, religion, arts, and math — also known collectively as STREAM — is a primary focus in schools today. Projects that combine these skills and help your child think outside the box can put her in a position to craft a future career she loves. Try this fun, DIY roller coaster project from schools in Orlando with children of all ages!Get the Materials ReadyBy the end of this project, your child will have created a roller coaster prototype that guides a marble from the entrance to a safe exit! This is a creative, open-ended project that works with many materials. Use these items as a starting point and then help her think of more items that could work.

• A marble (or multiple marbles for a multiple-car coaster)

• A paper cup to catch the marble as it exits the coaster

• Foam insulation pipes or pool noodles, cut in half

• Masking tape

• Materials that hold up the coaster and guide the marble: toothpicks, wooden boards, straws, balsa wood, etc.

Build a Roller CoasterIt’s recommended that you offer as little direction as safely possible. This allows your child to explore options and get creative, rather than sticking to predetermined steps. You might want to check out YouTube videos of other children’s projects or look at pictures of roller coasters for inspiration!He may enjoy sketching out his design first. Have him think about the shape he wants his roller coaster to have, how long it will be, if it will be a closed tunnel or an open-top coaster, and how tall it will be.Each child has a unique approach to this project. Maybe he’ll want to create the entire coaster first before testing it and improving it, or perhaps he’ll want to build a portion, test it, and perfect it before moving on. Cheer him on no matter what strategy he picks!Troubleshoot and ImproveThroughout the building process, test, test, and test some more. There are bound to be trials that don’t go as planned, but help your child think of these as “learning experiences” rather than “failures.” If she gets frustrated, encourage a break, offer a snack, or give subtle clues that might help her overcome her current design issue.Once she’s all done, don’t forget to capture the moment! Take a video of her marble’s journey from start to finish. She’ll love watching her success in action, and you can use the video as a reminder of her hard work to motivate her through future struggles.Our blog page has helpful hints for parents to encourage their children to excel academically, spiritually, and socially. To learn more about schools in Orlando, contact us at 407-246-4800.