Gigo Ornithopter - 8 years+

Experimenting is an important area of learning when it comes to developing problem-solving skills and capabilities and with this Ornithopter construction kit the essence of nature meets that of technology. An Ornithopter is an aircraft that flies by flapping its wings and imitates the way in which birds, insects and bats fly. With this kit children are able to build a variety of four Ornithopter models that simulate birds, butterflies, dragonflies and bats and in doing so an introduction of airflow and lift generation is discovered. Once built, the rubber band is then used to generate rotation power which in turn is transformed into an up and down movement of the wings. The concept of aerodynamics is explored whereby the power created allows the model to propel forward and fly.