Cup and String Maze
Cup and String Maze is a 30 minutes guided activity for Primary (Classes 1-2) students that builds design thinking, building and confidence through a simple hands-on task.
Overview
Cup and String Maze helps Primary (Classes 1-2) learners explore maker & craft in a structured and engaging way. The activity is designed for short classroom delivery, easy teacher facilitation and visible student outcomes. Students create, test, observe and explain what they have done, making the session suitable for school clubs, activity periods, STEM days, classroom enrichment and experiential learning blocks.
This activity works well as a teacher-led starter, a paired challenge or a small-group station rotation. It is especially useful when schools want short, meaningful activities that do not require long setup time.
As an extension, teachers can ask students to repeat cup and string maze with a new variable, document their results or present a short reflection to classmates.
Materials Needed
What’s Included
Learning Outcomes
Suggested Activity Flow
Warm-up & Context
Introduce Cup and String Maze with a short demo and connect it to a familiar real-life example for primary students in classes 1 and 2.
Hands-on Build / Exploration
Students work individually or in pairs to complete the main maker & craft task using the provided materials.
Observe & Record
Learners note what happened, compare results, and answer a few guided questions.
Share & Reflect
Students present their outcome, discuss what they learned, and identify one way to improve or extend the activity.
Teacher Tips & Safety
Use child-safe scissors and glue. Prepare materials in advance and brief students on safe handling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this activity be done in a normal classroom?
Yes. The activity is designed so it can be delivered in a standard classroom or lab with simple preparation.
Do students need prior experience?
No prior experience is required. The teacher can scaffold the task using the included briefing and demo.
What is the final student output?
Students complete a simple deliverable for Cup and String Maze, such as a model, worksheet, digital file or demonstration.