It’s our first full week of summer break, and I wanted to start it off with a bang to get my kids excited to do STEM Activities with me this summer. This is an easier take on the beloved Inflate a Balloon with a Chemical Reaction activity.
In my honest opinion, this activity does not top the original. The balloon will not inflate as full as it does from the chemical reaction, so it doesn’t have the same “wow” factor. But, it’s still pretty impressive and fun for the kids. It’s less messy and easier to execute than the chemical reaction activity. So if you’re having a lazy summer day, and want an easy to set up activity that will keep the kids busy for awhile, I’ve got you!
All three of my kids (ages 10, 8, and 3) did this activity with me. The big kids helped me along the way and were so surprised and excited watching the balloon inflate and deflate. My toddler just wanted to touch the water (both the hot and ice water) and play with the inflated balloon. And that’s ok! They liked it for different reasons but all were interested, engaged and busy for part of our day.
Watch the Activity:
We created fun videos for you to watch and follow along step-by-step to try this activity at home. In our YouTube video I walk you through the activity from start to finish, and the kids make it fun along the way. Check it out below:
In my Instagram reel the activity is condensed to a 90 second overview. We show you how to do the activity while having fun. Check out the Instagram reel below:
Step-by-step instructions:
Overview:
This is a simple activity for kids who like balloons. They will enjoy inflating and deflating the balloon over and over again as they move the balloon between the ice water and the hot water. This activity is recommended for children ages 3+.
Materials:
- Empty plastic water bottle
- Balloon
- Bowl of ice water
- Bowl of very hot water
Safety:
This activity requires the use of very hot water. I tried it with hot water from the tap and it wasn’t hot enough to inflate the balloon. You will need to bring water to a boil or near boil to get it hot enough to inflate the balloon. Use caution when handling the very hot water. This water is hot enough to burn, so handle properly: use oven mitts when moving the bowl with the hot water, and don’t touch the hot water or the bowl holding it with bare hands until it has cooled down.
Procedure:
- Pull open the lips of the balloon and place it over the top of the water bottle (covering the ridges where the cap screws on).
- Fill a bowl about half full with ice and water (creating the ice water).
- Fill a bowl about half full with very hot water (I brought water to a boil, then let cool slightly before bringing it to the table for the activity).
- Place the water bottle into the bowl with the ice water. What happens? (the balloon will deflate completely)
- Place the water bottle into the bowl with very hot water. What happens? (the balloon will begin to inflate and eventually stand up)
- Move the water bottle back and forth between the ice water and very hot water watching the balloon inflate and deflate over and over.
STEAM Concepts Learned:
The bowls of ice water and very hot water change the air temperature inside the water bottle. When the water bottle is in the ice water, the air inside the balloon becomes cold. Cold air sinks and contracts, deflating the balloon. When the water bottle is in the very hot water, the air inside the balloon becomes hot. Hot air rises and expands, inflating the balloon.
This is a simple and entertaining summer activity for kids. My kids moved the water bottle back and forth between the ice water and hot water over and over. They were mesmerized watching the balloon inflate and deflate again and again. We hope you try it and have just as much fun as we did. Let us know in the comments if you enjoyed this activity.
