Ideal for men, this activity will foster friendship and bring much laughter. It would be helpful if you could find a male volunteer to sit with participants and remind them of different ways to make paper airplanes.
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Ideal for men, this activity will foster friendship and bring much laughter. Men will enjoy making the planes and then competing afterwards.

It would be helpful if you could find a male volunteer to sit with participants and remind them of different ways to make paper airplanes.

Instructions:

  • Buy colorful A4 paper (the paper used for origami is ideal) or you can use regular office paper.
  • Have fun making planes! The more types of airplanes the better (big, small, square, round, jets, Boings, bi-planes, 747, sea-planes, etc. Some templates have been provided as a starting point, many more can be found online.
  • Use the time constructing planes to reminisce! Did they enjoy making paper planes when they were children? etc
  • Remind participants to write their names on the finished product.
  • Organise a fun competition game to see which plane can fly the farthest!

It's often the simplest games that are the most effective and well received!

We'd love to hear your feedback!
Have you tried making and flying paper planes with seniors before?

Files included:

Download Image

Paper Plane Template

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Comments   Post a Comment

Gabriel 25th May 2023
OMG This project helped so much
Rachel 10th May 2019 Activities Coordinator
I like this game but we call it Around the world on a paper plane, as we throw them around the room next person to pick it up writes a name of a destination we do this a few times then gather all the planes up and its interesting to see how many places that one plane travels too, good fun.
Mandy 26th Dec 2017 Leisure And Lifestyle Team Leader
I have done this activity last year and the results were brilliant, those not participating in the actual creation and flying of the aeroplanes were entertained by the antics of the pilots! Thanks for the reminder, i will put this on the calendar again.
Talita 1st Jan 2018
Thanks for your feedback Mandy!
Susan 29th May 2016 Freelance Activity Co-ordinator
Thanks for reminding me of this. I have 3 gents in a nursing home that I hope will join in when we try this.x
Judy 19th Apr 2016 Lifestyle Coordinator
We recently did this activity as our local Wine, Wings and Wheels Show is coming up. Everyone had a great time, both men and women, and it generated lots of reminiscing and competitiveness! Really simple but effective.
Faith 29th May 2014 Therapy Assistant
I think i will try this activity , will let you know how it goes
Marianne 15th May 2013 Diversional Therapists
This activity sounds interesting, gonna give it ago, we have quiet a few men in at the moment and im sure they would love it; so would our ladies i bet. Will let you know how it goes.
Valerie 6th Jan 2013 Recreation Therapist
Making airplanes sounds like a great idea. Do you have any templates as I only know how to make one sort.
Love your site.
Val from NZ.
Solange 21st Mar 2012 Diversional Therapist
You are quite right Christina, the more enthusiastic the MC the better and funnier the game. It is a game suitable to people from 8 to 80 years. The idea came to me after I attended a Trivial Pursuit night for my son's primary school; after Trivial Pursuit we decided to have a competition of paper airplanes.We had so much fun, I had to pass it on.
Christina 21st Mar 2012 Diversional Therapist
I saw this activity whilst on a cruise last year and it was hilarious. You need the person running the activity to have a really good sense of fun to make it work but it is well recommended.
Solange 9th Jan 2012 Diversional Therapist
This is also my experience Heather. The men's group always enjoyed the airplanes making and the competition game afterwards. Great time for reminiscing about overseas holidays and childhood games.
heather 9th Jan 2012 diversional therapist
This was a fabulous activty for our mens group we had a bit of discussion about different planes and what planes had the men flown themselves or been in etc then we made our own and had a competition to see whose plane could go the furthest. They really had an enjoyable time.
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