Brrr! It’s cold outside and everyone is getting antsy.  Here are some fun ideas using balloons to help your children expend their energy. You can also incorporate some math and science with that physical education!

Balloon Juggling  Blow up two balloons and practice “tossing” them from hand to the other. First, throw one of them high into the air so that it is floating. As it begins to descend, add toss the other balloon into the air. Hit the one that is descending, causing it to rise. Hit the next balloon as it descends, causing it to rise. Keep the cycle going! Add a third balloon when you have mastered two balloons.

Balloon Rockets This activity is fun for all ages. The longer the room, the further the rocket will go.

You will need:

Balloons (elongated ones work best, but round ones work too)

1 Straw

Masking tape

1 clothes pin (the type with a spring)

Fishing line

2 Chairs (Ones which you can attach fishing line)

Tape measure, pencil, paper, graph paper

First, place each chair on opposite sides of the room.

Tie one end of the fishing line to one chair, making sure it is taut, otherwise the balloon rocket will “stall out”.

Next, thread the straw through the fishing line and then tie the fishing line to the other chair. This will be your rocket line.

Inflate the balloon, pinching the end closed with the spring clothes pin.

Use two pieces of tape to secure the balloon to the straw on the fishing line. Be sure the clothes pin end is pointing towards the end of the track and the nose of the balloon is pointed toward the chair across the room.

Move the straw with your rocket toward your beginning line.

Remove the close pin and let the rocket fly!

Okay, you know you can’t pass up the teachable moment so grab the tape measure and see how far the rocket flew.  Record the results and do it at least two more times. 🙂 How about graphing the results? balloon rocket data sheet   You can also compute the average distance, how long it took for the balloon to fly, and which one flew the farthest.

Balloon Volleyball

Items Needed;

1  balloon ( I like the 12″ balloons for this activity, but a 9″ balloon will work too.)

Masking tape

Directions:

First, lay the masking tape across the carpet, creating a boundary line. Next, create volleyball teams. Nest, inflate and tie the balloon.  Then, have your  teams stand on each side of the line. The object is to hit it over to the other side. The team who can keep the balloon from hitting the floor and not stepping over the line when it is on their side gets a point. The first team to reach 10 points wins.

Mini Marshmallow Popper This looks like a lot of fun and only requires for each popper a paper cup, a pair of scissors, a balloon, a rubber band, and some mini marshmallows. Be sure to make extras for friends to come over and play too!