Longest spiral
You will draw a spiral outward without letting neighbouring turns meet. Small uneven gaps can become difficult to maintain as the curve grows, so a steady pace helps.
- Art
- Starter
- About 15 minutes
Grown-up needed: yes for preparation, selecting materials and supervising any water or outdoor work
What you need
- One sheet of paper
- A pencil
- A flat table
The rule
The lines must never touch.
How to do it
- Mark a small starting point near the paper’s centre.
- Draw a short curve around that point.
- Continue outward while leaving a visible gap from the earlier turn.
- Turn the paper if that keeps your movement comfortable.
- Stop before the spiral meets itself or the paper edge.
- Compare the narrowest and widest gaps in the finished drawing.
Why it works
A spiral winds around a centre while its distance from that centre changes. It is different from a circle, whose points remain at the same distance. Your growing line must avoid earlier turns while fitting inside a limited page. Regular gaps can give a predictable arrangement, but natural spirals do not all use one equation or spacing rule. Inspecting your gaps lets you describe the pattern you made instead of assuming every curve follows the same design.
Make it harder
- Leave a smaller but visible gap.
- Change the gap gradually from small to large.
- Explain a planned spacing pattern before drawing another spiral.
Ask Taz
- Why is a spiral different from a circle?
- Why do narrow gaps make this challenge harder?
- Why are natural spirals not all the same pattern?
For grown-ups
Keep the child seated and let them rotate the paper rather than twist an uncomfortable wrist. Compare spacing and planning instead of treating a touching line as wasted work. Ask at dinner: “How would you describe your spiral’s rule so that someone else could try drawing a similar one?”
Taz is an AI and can be wrong, so stay close by. Read how safety works on Taz.
Show us yours
Film your hands and what you made, not your face or name. Ask a grown-up before posting anywhere else.
Questions parents ask
Does the result need to look polished?
No. Begin with a small attempt and keep the first version so you can explain a change. The stated time is an estimate, and a careful observation or unfinished draft can still give you something useful to discuss.
How can a parent help without taking over?
Help with the space and listed preparation, then ask the child to describe their next choice. Let the rule guide the attempt instead of correcting every line or deciding the finished design for them.
Do we have to upload the work?
No. Showing it at home is enough. Online sharing remains optional and follows the privacy and grown-up permission line above.
More to try
See all Taz Challenges, or look through the science labs. One place for every why. Ask for early access at aitaz.com