Here’s a fun flipper toy that you can make for use in science investigations. It’s pretty easy to make, the hardest bit is sourcing enough of the plastic credit card things. I keep an eye out for any place that gives away store or loyalty cards, and sneak a few out each time… (Thank you Costa Coffee!)

To make one toy you will need

• 2 x plastic loyalty cards or similar (credit card sized)
• 2 x paper clips
• A rubber band
• Sellotape
• A hole punch

1. Take your two cards and using a hole punch, make a hole roughly in the middle about 1cm from the end of each card.

2. Take the two ends that don’t have a hole in, and sellotape them together with a few strips of tape.

3. Turn the cards over and sellotape the other side.

4. Take a paperclip and open it out slightly. Take the longer half and sellotape it to the card, close to the join. Make sure the other half is free of the sellotape – this is going to be the anchor point for the rubber band.

5. Repeat with the second paper clip.

6. Hook the rubber band around the first paper clip.

7. Poke the rubber band through both holes and attach it to the second paper clip.

8. To make the flipper jump – open it right out and back on itself to really stretch the rubber band. Hold it down on a flat surface

9. When you let go. It should jump up. Like this:

How could you use this in an investigation?

Pupils could look into the effects of changing the thickness of rubber band, the length of rubber band, the number of rubber bands, surface used etc.

They could measure the height it jumps, or release it on a slight incline and measure the distance travelled.