Lego Zip Line

Need a quick activity for a rainy afternoon? This is it. Make a Lego Zip Line with a piece of string and some simple Lego pieces. The zip line is a piece of string that runs in our case from the back of a chair to the back of the couch nearby. The key is to have one end higher than the other so that the vehicle runs down it.

This is the basic ‘vehicle’ that my nearly 8 year old, Mr Happy, made a couple of weeks back. It has been interesting to see this develop over time to include various ‘boxes’ to carry Lego people and other toys. The round piece is a wheel with a little groove in it. This sits perfectly onto the string. You can see all the pieces pulled apart below:

If you don’t have these particular Lego pieces, you could still create a vehicle with a wheel or two. Even a Lego mini figure can slide down a zip line with his hands holding the string!

What I Love about this Lego Craft

Mr Happy is learning physics without even realising it! For example, he is having to work out where to tie the string to use gravity to pull the Lego down the zip line as well as heavy the vehicle needs to be to keep moving.
He is also leaning scientific method (trial and error) in experimenting with his vehicle as he adds more pieces and then tries it on the zip line again.
He is using his imagination which always amazes me in its scope and creativity. The original idea and plan for this craft came from a book (see below) but he developed it more himself.
He is developing his problem solving skills – including identifying when the original string was too thick and he need Mum to buy more!
And he is having fun! He was so excited to keep showing me the variations he came up with. He has a grand plan to take it away with us to a house with a loft bedroom so he can run the string from the loft to the living room. Very cool!