BALLOON YO-YO

Did you know the Children’s Museum is turning 34!? There’s no better way to celebrate than with some fun and games! Help us celebrate our birthday by creating your own super party favour, and head outdoors for oodles of June Balloon themed fun!

Materials

• Balloon
• Lentils
• Rubber Bands
• Funnel (optional)

Directions:

• Choose a colour of balloon!
• Pull open the mouth/neck of your balloon and pour the lentils inside so that the body of the balloon is full. You may have to release the mouth/neck and shake the balloon slightly for the lentils to fall down, then pull the mouth/neck open again so you can fill the balloon as much as possible. A funnel will make this step easier, but if you don’t have one handy, asking a family member to help you is a great alternative!
  • If you don’t have lentils, you can instead use rice, small dry pasta noodles (like orzo or macaroni), or flour to fill your balloon
• Once your balloon is full, tie a knot in the neck
• Take a rubber band. Wrap it around the neck of your balloon and create a slip knot (see photos below for instructions on how to tie a slip knot)

Step 1: Wrap the rubber band around the neck of your balloon

Step 2: Loop the right end of the rubber band through the left end

Step 3: Pull to tighten

• Use more rubber bands to create the “string” for your yo-yo. Attach each rubber band to the next with slip knots (see below for photos showing how to attach the rubber bands using slip knots). We used four rubber bands for our yo-yo string

Step 1: Place the new rubber band so it is halfway inside the first rubber band

Step 2: Loop the right end of the rubber band through the left end

Step 3: Pull to tighten and repeat as needed

• At the top of your final rubber band, tie a regular knot. Make sure that the loop this creates at the top is large enough for your finger. This will be the hole you put your finger through to use your yo-yo!
• Head outside and practice your super yo-yo skills! See our suggestions below for how to support learning at every grade level while you celebrate!

How does this spark creative learning?

Kindergarten:
Let’s get counting! Time to go on a number hunt! Write the numbers 1-10 in chalk outside in any order you’d like. Choose a number to start at and use your yo-yo above each number in order as you count up to 10 or down to 1!

Grade 1:
Mystery awaits! Once you’ve created a yo-yo, ask other members of your family to create their own, each using different materials to fill the balloon. Put your sense of touch to the test as you try and determine what mystery ingredients they placed inside each one! Later, test the balloons. Did one yo-yo work better than the others? Why or why not?

Grade 2:  
What is superior – solids, liquids, or gas? Brainstorm to think of one solid, one liquid, and one gas you could use to fill three different yo-yos. Create these three yo-yos together with your family and put them to the test! Did one yo-yo work better than the others? Why or why not?

Grade 3:
Investigate the science behind your yo-yo! Do you know the name of the force that allows your yo-yo to work? How does your yo-yo prove that this force exists? What would happen to your yo-yo if this force wasn’t present?

Grade 4:
Turn your yo-yo adventures into a celebration everyone can hear! Experiment with different materials you can attach to your yo-yo to determine if they can produce sound as you play and transform your yo-yo into a musical instrument!

Grade 5:
What’s fuelling your yo-yo? Take a look at the nutritional information of the food or ingredient you chose to fill your yo-yo. What types of nutrients are found within it? How would those nutrients help keep you healthy?

Stay tuned for more resources to help spark kids’ creative learning!

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