Paper airplane instruction kit

Our family, particularly the oldest boy, has gone in and out of phases (near obsessions) with paper plane making. Now that the youngest is at school I fully expect to re-enter that phase soon. There are several options for instructions and kits that help kids learn new folding techniques and plane types. Some come with fancy paper printed with patterns that when folded make the plane look fast and impressive. But in all honesty, kids will probably get the same amount of fun from folding plain paper and decorating it themselves.

Here are some books that feature paper planes, which would pair nicely with a kit or set of instructions.

After the Fall, by Dan Santat

I’ve followed Dan Santat’s work for many years now and I’ve loved all his books. I’ve blogged about it before, After the Fall has a superbly simple storyline and the illustrations are such an enjoyably important part of that story.

I love gifting this one as the message it portrays is universally needed. No matter how broken we feel, with work and courage, we can all learn to fly.

The Great Paper Caper, by Oliver Jeffers

When all the trees start to go missing, the animals start an investigation to solve the crime. When the culprit is identified and due legal process followed, they come to learn the motivation behind the thefts. Oliver Jeffers distinctive illustrations makes this book memorable and re-readable.

Paper Planes, by Steve Worland

This is one of the first chapter books Jude read independently and became the inspiration for the first of many book week dress-up days. Turned into a movie, the middle-grade novel is about a young boy who enters a paper plane-making contest.