You’re invited!
The Paper Airplane Competition
Saturday, December 5, 2026 · 9 am – 12 pm · LLA School Gym
Come and build your paper airplanes at the school gym and see if you can claim one of the winning spots:
- Farthest flight
- Longest time in the air
- Closest landing to the target
- Grown-ups are welcome to fly planes alongside their children
Online registration closes on Thursday, December 3. Families who are not participating can watch for free.
- Distance: the farthest flight wins
- Time Aloft: the longest time in the air wins
- Accuracy: the closest landing to the target wins
When
Saturday, December 5, 2026
9 am – 12 pm
Where
The Little Lotus Academy gym
47 Academy Ave, Middletown, NY 10940
Cost
$5 per flyer
Covers all three rounds and the Mass Toss. Families who are not participating can watch for free.
Who can fly
Ages 3 to 14, and grown-ups
Pre-K to Grade 8. School families, guest families and homeschoolers are all welcome.
The three flying rounds
Participants make a new paper airplane for each round. Folding diagrams will be provided at every table and helpers will be close by.
Round One
Distance
The plane that flies farthest wins, measured from the throw line to where it lands.
Tips
- A slim plane with a sharp nose and narrow wings flies straight down the length of the gym.
- A smooth, level throw goes farther than a hard one.
Round Two
Accuracy
The plane that lands closest to the target wins.
Tips
- A plane with a heavier, blunt nose flies steadily, so it goes where it is aimed.
- A careful aim and a steady, medium throw work best.
Round Three
Time Aloft
The plane that stays in the air longest wins, timed from the moment it leaves the hand until it touches the floor.
Tips
- Wide, flat wings let a plane float slowly down to the floor.
- A gentle release, slightly upward, keeps it in the air longest.
The grand finale
The Mass Toss
To close the morning, every participant throws a plane at the same moment, and the whole gym fills with paper airplanes!
Five age divisions
Everyone flies against others their own age, so a kindergartner’s plane is judged alongside other kindergartners’ planes. Children fly by school grade; guest children and homeschoolers can go by age. Grown-ups have a division of their own.
Competition schedule
Doors and folding tables open at 9:00 a.m. Please arrive close to the start, so your child has time to fold, test, and adjust their planes before the first round.
- 9:00 – 9:30 a.m.Check-in and foldingPick up your envelope of numbered sheets, then fold your planes at the tables.
- 9:30 – 10:15 a.m.Round One: DistancePlanes flown down the length of the gym.
- 10:15 – 10:45 a.m.Round Two: AccuracyPlanes aimed at the target on the floor.
- 10:45 – 11:15 a.m.Round Three: Time AloftPlanes timed from release to landing.
- 11:15 – 11:30 a.m.The Mass TossEvery flyer throws a plane at the same moment.
- 11:30 a.m. – noonAwardsWinners announced for each round, in every division.
How it works
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Register online by Thursday, December 3
It costs $5 for each child or grown-up who flies, and that covers all three rounds and the Mass Toss. One registration form can register up to five children and one grown-up.
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Check in at 9:00 a.m.
Each flyer receives an envelope with their name on it, holding 10 sheets of paper printed with their own flyer number. All of their planes are folded from these sheets.
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Fold your planes at the tables
Each table has the folding diagrams for one of the three planes. Helpers are there for younger children, and practice throws are welcome.
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Fly in your division
Only planes folded from your own numbered sheets are counted, so each result goes to the right flyer. Distance begins at 9:30, Accuracy at 10:15, and Time Aloft at 10:45. The Mass Toss follows at 11:15, and awards are given from 11:30 until noon.
Questions parents ask
How much does it cost?
$5 for each child or grown-up who flies. This covers all three rounds (Distance, Accuracy, and Time Aloft) and the Mass Toss. There are no other fees.
Can we come just to watch?
Please do! Families watch for free, and friends are warmly welcome too. Only those who fly need a ticket.
Can families from outside the school take part?
Yes. Guest families and homeschooling families are welcome to register and fly alongside our school families.
What if we miss the online deadline?
Online registration closes on Thursday, December 3. If space allows, you can still register at the door on the morning of the event, for the same $5 per flyer. Registering online is the best way to be sure of a place.
Do we need to bring paper or a plane from home?
No. Each flyer receives 10 numbered sheets at check-in, and all planes are folded at the tables during the event. Only planes folded from these sheets are counted.
Who can take part?
Children from Pre-K through Grade 8 (ages 3 to 14) fly in four age divisions, and grown-ups fly in a fifth division of their own. Children fly by school grade; guest children and homeschoolers can go by age.
Where is it, and who can we ask?
In the gym at Little Lotus Academy, 47 Academy Ave, Middletown, NY 10940. If you have any questions, please email info@littlelotusacademy.org.
We hope to see you there!
Please register by Thursday, December 3, so we can prepare an envelope of numbered sheets for each flyer. Family and friends are welcome to come and watch.
Register my childSaturday, December 5 · 9 am – 12 pm · LLA School Gym