Team Rope Runners

Rope Runners began as a grassroots Girl Scout project and has since become a beloved tradition for STEM fun. Invented in the 1990s by Kate Christman – a lifelong Girl Scout and troop leader from Ohio – Rope Runners were inspired by the Boy Scouts’ Pinewood Derby, but with a creative twist. Kate wanted an activity for her Girl Scout troop that offered more imagination and didn’t require a bulky track, so she remembered a childhood toy: a little figurine that could glide down a rope using weights for balance. From that spark, the first Rope Runners were born!

What started as a one-troop experiment quickly grew through word of mouth. Soon troops and councils across the country were requesting Rope Runner kits for their own derby events. Kate handcrafted each kit, refining the design (early versions even used golf balls as weights until wooden balls proved safer and easier!). Even the youngest Girl Scouts (Daisies!) could build and enjoy them. Throughout the late ‘90s and 2000s, Rope Runners became a hit at father-daughter nights, recruitment events, summer camps, and troop meetings. Girls sent in photos of their wildly creative Rope Runner designs – everything from a bunny with foot-long felt ears to a miniature Magic Castle racing down the line. It was amazing to see the creativity and excitement each kit inspired.

After many successful years of bringing joy and education to scouts, Kate eventually paused the business during the COVID lockdown. But Rope Runners wasn’t finished – in fact, a new team has proudly picked up the baton to continue this Girl Scout–born tradition for the next generation. We are passionate about carrying on Kate’s legacy by providing high-quality Rope Runner kits to troops everywhere. Our mission is to empower girls (and all kids) to think like engineers, embrace creativity, and have a blast doing it. Long live Rope Runners!