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Play Helps
A Helicopter
Almost Instant
A toy from Israel.

This little paper toy takes seconds to make and had instant child-appeal. For children with a visual impairment it can be useful as yet another way of helping them to track vertically.

You Need

  • A rectangular sheet of paper. An A4 sheet will make four helicopters. Fold it in half, top to bottom, and in half again. Cut along the creases.
  • Felt pens if you want the activity to last a little longer and the finished product to look more spectacular.
  • Paper clip - optional.

Now

  1. Turn the paper lengthways. About one third of the way along one edge tear in one third of the way. (I tell children to put their thumbs together and pinch. This helps them to tear carefully and control the length of the tear.) Fold in the long edge and crease firmly.
  2. On the other edge, tear in one third of the way, towards the first tear. Fold in the long edge and crease. Your helicopter now looks like a square lollipop on a stalk.
  3. Turn up the bottom of the stalk, about l cm and crease firmly. Add a paper clip if you like.
  4. To make the rotor blades, carefully tear down from the centre of the top of the lollipop to the stalk.
  5. Bend one blade towards you and the other away. To give them a slight kink as in the illustration, put your thumb underneath one and with two fingers on top, gently squeeze. Repeat for the other rotor blade.
  6. Now for the maiden flight! Hold the helicopter up as high as you can. DO NOT THROW, but just let go - and watch it spiral its way towards the floor, like a sycamore or ash seed.
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A Helicopter