Exciting DIY Balloon Rocket: A Hands-On Learning Experience for Children
I love it when a cool summer experiment is so easy it only takes a couple minutes! This balloon rocket experiment is such a fun balloon activity for kids that teaches some simply physics while having fun. All you need for this balloon straw rocket are a few simple materials and you are ready to start learning, exploring, and having fun with balloon science! This balloon experiment is fun for preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th graders too.
Balloon Rocket
3, 2, 1 BLASTOFF! Whose balloon rocket will go the furthest? Does it matter if the rocket path goes uphill or winds? Find out in this super simple balloon rocket experiment for kids! This balloon rocket activity can be done outside for a fun summer science or indoors to bring some excitement to a dreary rainy day or cold winter day. Either wy, this balloon activity for kids is quick with just a few simple materials you probabaly already have on hand. This physics experiment for kids is fun for preschoolers, kindergartners, grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 students.
Balloon Rocket Experiment
All you need for this simple physics activity for young children is a few simple materials you probably already have laying around your house:
- 2 or more balloons
- string
- 2 or more straws (extra large work best)
- clothespin (optional, but helpful)
- tape
- sharpie (optional)
Balloon Experiment
Attach a string from two object seperated by about 7-15 feet. You will need to remove one of the sides easily to land your rocket in a couple minutes.
- If you are outside consider two trees, fence, swing set, etc.
- Inside? Go betwee two chairs or parallel door handles.
Balloon Rocket Activity
This first step is optional, but decorating your balloon to look like a rocket just makes it more fun! So start by inflating your balloon and using a clothespin or holding it so the air doesn’t escape.
Rocket Balloon
Use a sharpie to draw a rocket. Careful with sharpie markers as they are permanent and will not come off clothes.
Balloon Rocket
Tape a straw on the top. We found it helpful to use extra large straws for easier threading!
Balloon Straw Rocket
Insert string from your rocket path into the straw. Re tie the end of the string. Repeat the entire process in an adjacent space so that the rockets can race!
Balloon rocket experiment explanation
This experiment beautifully demonstrates Newton’s Third Law of Motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In this case, when the air rushes out of the balloon, it creates a force in the opposite direction, which launches the balloon forward. It’s a great example of how forces interact and can be a fun introduction to basic physics concepts!
Physics Experiment for Kids
Count down 3….2…….1…… Lift off and remove the clothespin to send your rocketship soaring. They go super fast, don’t they! THis is such a simple summer science experiment with such a great WOW moment! Kids will excitedly want to try it again and again and again!
Extension Ideas:
- Try going uphill
- Go at a downward incline
- Start with balloon inflated to a different size – which one will go further? Which one will go fastest?
Summer Experiment
This is fun, but how is it science? When you blow up the balloon you are filling it up with air that is under pressure. (Another word for that is potential energy.) When the air escapes from the balloon when you let go of it (kinetic energy) the escaping air exerts thrust or force on the balloon which propels it forward. The air escapes backward – the balloon races forward. Action – reaction.
Ready? Set. GO! Blast off with this EASY balloon rocket experiment! Learn simply physics with a fun summer science activity for kids.
Summer Activities
- ALPHABET – Summer Handwriting Worksheets, Letter Matching Puzzles, Pail and Shovel Matching Letter Game, Seed Summer Worksheets for Kindergarten, Cute Flip Flip Letter Matching, Seashell Alphabet Matching, Sun Summer Tracing Worksheets, Sandcastle Letters Summer Activities for Kindergarten, seashell letter matching
- SCIENCE – Learn about life cycles with these ladybug life cycle worksheet
- WATERMELON – Counting Watermelon Seed Printable
- SIGHT WORDS – Garden Kindergarten sight Word Activities
- MATH – Garden theme Telling Time Worksheets, Bubble Math Worksheets, Smores Kindergarten Math Worksheets, Marshmallow Ten Frame Activity, Summer Number Recognition Coloring Worksheets, Cute Watermelon Seed Counting Worksheet, Skip Counting Summer Worksheets, Firefly Math Counting Game, Pool Count and Trace Summer Activities for Kindergarten
- LANGUAGE ARTS – Strawberry Picking Summer Rhyming Activity, Smore complete sentence game
- I Spy Pirate Game or beach i spy worksheets, fun Summer Lego Challenge or Summertime Dot Art Printables
- WORKSHEETS – Free Beach Worksheets, Cute Summer Worksheets for Preschoolers, Fun Summer Color by Number , Pool Summer Worksheets for Preschoolers, Garden Worksheets
- Simple, Free Beach Coloring Pages, FREE Summer Activity Pages, and Seashell Color Playdough Mats – fun summer activities for preschoolers
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- CRAFTS – Silly Grass Craft for Kids, Bleeding Tissue Paper Fireworks Craft, Printable SUmmer Crafts for Preschoolers
Ice Cream Activities for Preschoolers
- AMAZING, Edible Play Doh Ice Cream Recipe that scoops like ice creaam!
- Free Ice Cream I Spy Worksheet or color matching Ice Cream Activity
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- MATH – Ice Cream Make 10 Game, pattern Ice Cream Pattern Printable, printable Ice Cream Math craft, scoop up Ice Cream Counting Printable, popsicle count to 10 clip cards Summer Activities for Preschoolers, counting Summer Activity for Preschool puzzles, count to 20 Ice Cream Math Sundae, Number Bonds Practice, scoop a sundae Place Value Activity or Place Value Activity, Ice Cream Math Game, and Shape Playdough Mats, Addition with this Ice Cream Math task cards, fun Ice Cream Math Worksheets, Ice Cream Division Puzzles
- LANGUAGE ARTS – ce Cream Compound Word Activity, scooping Digraph Activity, free Ice Cream Sentence Scrambles, or this suffixes activity
- CRAFT – TONS of cute Ice Cream Craft Preschool, Simple Ice Cream Coloring Pages, I is for Ice Cream handart project, Ice Cream craft using washi tape, Printable Ice Cream Math Craft
- ICE CREAM RECIPES– Fun and EASY How to Make your own Ice Cream in a Bag, EASY homemade vanilla ice cream, delicious peaches and cream ice cream recipe
- Ice Cream Themed, Summer Bucket List Ideas