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Rapunzel's Great Escape

In Rapunzel’s Great Escape, students become fairy-tale engineers challenged to design and build a safe way for Rapunzel to escape from her tower. They’ll imagine, sketch, build, test, and improve their inventions while discovering how engineers solve problems through creativity and experimentation.



Primary

measurement, art/design, storytelling, problem-solving

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Project Details

Theme

December | Product Design

Messy Level

1

Suggested Location

Class

Prep & Classroom Structure



Before class, prepare the towers so students can spend most of the session designing. The source suggests using paper towel tubes with a window cut roughly 8–9 inches above the ground, or using empty milk cartons instead; pre-cutting the window is recommended depending on student ability.


Set up materials in an “Engineer’s Supply Shop” with separate bins for structure materials, connectors, and decorative supplies. Prepare one Rapunzel figure for each team, stabilize towers if needed, and place paper and pencils at each table for brainstorming and sketching.


A few practical prep suggestions:


  • Pre-cut cardboard, tubes, and string for kindergarten students.

  • Build the tower only, not an escape solution, so students are not unintentionally shown an answer.

  • Prepare enough materials for multiple solution types rather than steering everyone toward ladders.

  • Test that the tower can stand upright before class.

  • Keep extra tape, pipe cleaners, and cardboard nearby for redesigns.

  • Plan teams of 2–3 students so everyone can participate.

  • Give students a clearly marked testing area.

  • Allow 5–10 minutes at the end specifically for Improve + Retest.

  • For kindergarten, use a larger Rapunzel figure or cube instead of a tiny marble if manipulating small objects may be difficult.


The source emphasizes that students may develop very different solutions and specifically encourages creativity rather than one “correct” escape design.

Materials

  • Paper towel tubes or empty/rinsed milk cartons for towers

  • Tape

  • Glue

  • Staplers

  • String

  • Pipe cleaners

  • Straws

  • Craft sticks

  • Cardboard scraps or cereal boxes

  • Scissors

  • Paper and pencils for planning

  • Small Rapunzel figure to represent Rapunzel

  • Optional decorating materials such as stickers, washi tape, paint, or foam pieces

  • Optional bouncy ball placed inside the tower base for extra stabilit

Project Instructions

  • Introduce the problem: Rapunzel is stuck high inside a tower and needs a safe way to reach the ground without using her hair.

  • Show students the tower and discuss the challenge: How could we engineer a way for Rapunzel to escape?

  • Have students imagine at least two possible solutions before choosing one idea. The activity specifically encourages students to brainstorm multiple ways Rapunzel might get down.

  • Ask students to draw a simple sketch of their chosen idea and label important parts.

  • Give teams access to the building materials and have them construct a model of their escape system.

  • Place the Rapunzel figure at the tower window and test whether the invention can safely move her to the ground.

  • Observe what happens. Does Rapunzel get stuck? Fall? Move too quickly? Does the structure bend or collapse?

  • If the first design does not work as expected, students improve the prototype and test it again.

  • Once the design works, measure the distance from the tower window to the ground and, if appropriate, measure the length of the escape path.

  • Finish with a short share-out where students explain what they built, what changed during testing, and what they would improve next time. The source recommends reflecting on whether the prototype worked, favorite design features, challenges, and possible redesigns.

Class Video

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