Libraries are more than books. Some kids need a little direction to get the creative juices flowing. I gleaned the following from PUBYAC contributors. If you're a member, check out the archives for  5-13-2010. Please add YOUR comments. Your colleagues would appreciate hearing what works, and what didn't!

See also: http://www.amazingpaperairplanes.com/Basic_Dart.html

AGES:

• 6 years and older as the younger children have problems with the folds.

Some of the younger attendees still have difficulties with the folding, but we usually have some parents in attendance who will help us with kids who have problems.

PROGRAM:

• Try to get a pilot or representative from Air Cadets to speak to the kids
• Read books about flight.
• Provide books, but no instruction, as to keep it fair.  We have several different age categories so more people can win. OR
• Fold and decorate paper airplanes from designs provided.
• Have them face-off and test their planes for distance, for stunts, for avoiding obstacles, etc.
• Line the kids up by age group (0-5, 5-8, 9-11) and each age group gets a chance to stand behind a masking tape line to see how far their

airplanes would go. Whoever's plane went farthest got bragging rights. Which reminds me--MAKE SURE YOU HAVE EVERYONE PUT THEIR NAME ON THEIR PLANE!

• Of course, after making/decorating the planes, the kids will inevitably want to throw them so you might want to start with a warning that no planes should be flying unless given permission by ground control, (You).

PRIZES:

• Furthest
• Longest time aloft
• Fastest(maybe?)
• Best decorated
• Most creative design
• Crowd favorite
• Most Epic Fail--The last one was awesome, it allowed us to make a virtue of what would otherwise be embarrassing.

TIME:

• About an hour should be sufficient.