Science
Balloon Rocket
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This is an experiment to demonstrate air power.
Te Whāriki curriculum link
Exploration Goal 3:
Children experience an environment where they learn strategies for active exploration, thinking and reasoning.
You will need:
- A balloon
- A short length of plastic straw
- 3 - 4 metres of string
- Sticky tape
What to do
- Thread the string through the straw.
- Tie the string tautly between two points such as two verandah posts or two chair backs.
- Blow up the balloon and hold the neck closed. The other person tapes the balloon to the straw, as shown.
- Ask your child what might happen to the balloon.
- Let the balloon go.
What happened?
- What did your child discover? Talk about what happened - listen to your child's ideas about why it happened.
- Experiment with these suggestions.
Extensions
- Think of ways to make the rocket travel faster or further. Try out your child's ideas if possible.
- Try taping a balloon to a stick, like a sky rocket. What happens when it is let go.
- Tape a paper plane or rocket onto the straw - for fun
- Talk about jet-propulsion. Look at books about it together.(Research on the Internet).
Remember - let your child do as much of the experiment as they can, and let them make their own dscoveries.