Science
Balloon static
- Builds: Static electricity
- 10 min
- Ages 4–6
- Calm
- A little tidy-up
From the house
- A balloon, blown up and tied by you
- A wool sweater, or their hair
- A sheet of paper or tissue
How to play
- Tear the paper into tiny bits and sprinkle them on the table.
- Rub the balloon quickly on their hair or a wool sweater for about ten seconds.
- Hold it just above the paper bits and watch them jump up and cling.
- Rub again and hold it near their hair, then try sticking the balloon to a wall.
Fit it to your child
- Easier: You rub the balloon, and they watch their hair rise as you lift it slowly away.
- Harder: Hold the rubbed balloon near a thin stream of water from the tap and watch the water bend toward it.
Words to use
- rub
- static
- pull
- stick
- invisible
Why it helps
Rubbing gives the balloon a static charge, an invisible pull they can test on paper, hair and walls, which shows them that some forces work without touching.
Grown-up eyes: Only a grown-up blows up and ties the balloon. If it pops, pick up every piece straight away: balloon pieces can choke and suffocate children.