30 min
Paper Aeroplane Testing Lab
Three designs, one tape measure, and an argument about which flies furthest.
🚀
Balloon Rocket on a String
A straw, a string across the room, and a balloon that fires along it.
Five minutes to build, and they will launch it thirty times.
What you need
- a balloon
- a drinking straw
- string
- tape
How to do it
- Thread a long string through a straw and tie it tautly between two chairs.
- Blow up a balloon and pinch the neck closed without tying it.
- Tape the balloon to the straw.
- Let go and watch it travel along the string.
- Measure how far it goes, then try a bigger or smaller inflation and compare.
Why this is good for them
This is action and reaction made visible, and children immediately want to know why it goes backwards relative to the air escaping. Varying the inflation and measuring the distance turns a demonstration into an experiment they run themselves.
Adapting by age
4 to 5 yearsYou build it, they launch it and count how many chairs it passes.
11 to 12 yearsTest string angle, balloon shape and straw length as separate variables.
Keep it safe
Burst balloon fragments are a choking hazard. Clear every piece and keep away from under-threes. Check for latex allergies.
Cleanup tip
Untie the string and keep the straw for next time.
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Fold it in five minutes, then race it across the table for half an hour.