The Paper Bridge Challenge

Architecture Kids’ very first downloadable workshop!

Welcome to the Paper Bridge Challenge!

We’re excited to share our very first downloadable workshop on Substack - and it’s an absolute winner for curious kids and creative classrooms. Simple, low-cost, and endlessly fun, the Paper Bridge Challenge explores the power of paper engineering in a way that’s hands-on, imaginative, and educational.

This activity helps children see paper not just as something to draw on - but as a building material. By folding, rolling, layering, and connecting A4 sheets, students get to explore how structure works in the real world using just scrap paper, a few books, and their own brilliant ideas.

Perfect for teachers and parents alike, this challenge is designed as a single-lesson workshop with a short intro to the forces in play (like imposed loads, dead loads and friction). Children work in small teams of 2–3, testing ideas, iterating quickly, and collaborating in this fast-moving design exercise.

Download the worksheets below. 🚀👇

Testing structure with folding

The Mission:

Build a paper bridge that spans the longest possible distance and holds a small weight (like a teaspoon), using just three sheets of A4 paper. No tape, glue, staples, or connectors allowed - only clever folds, rolls, overlaps, and friction.

Testing paper bridge structures with Year-9 students.

Sounds tricky?