Episode Description: Bluey, Bingo and Mum are enjoying playing Keepy-Uppy around the house with their last balloon, when Dad joins in and the game becomes the ultimate test of skill.
ACTIVITIES:
- Obviously we’re going to start with a good old game of Keepy Uppy. But there are heaps of other balloon-based games:
- Try some balloon maths
- Using balloons for letter recognition
- Or host your own balloon Olympics
- Balloon painting is always a classic art project. Go even messier with balloon splatter painting.
- Now we’re going to get into some balloon science experiments:
- Inflate a balloon with baking soda + vinegar (A fun way to set this up would be to see if they have any ideas for how to inflate a balloon without blowing into it.)
- Make a balloon rocket. How far can they make it zoom?
- Another fun way to make your balloon move: make a hover craft.
- Truth be told, we don’t do a lot of balloon-based activities in our house anymore because of their propensity for ending up inside animals. This might be a good time to talk to your kids about what happens when you lose a balloon.
- This Behind the News video goes into more detail about the dangers of balloon releases for wildlife. (Not overly graphic, just a few sad animals.)
- This video does contain more graphic photos if you think your kids can handle it.
- See also No Balloon Release Australia on Facebook for more images and info.
- If your child is old enough to write, have them write a persuasive letter. Perhaps their school is planning to release balloons for a school celebration – write a letter to your principal persuading them not to use balloons and give some alternative ideas.
- And if you do pop any balloons today, no need to stress – just be sure you clean them up, don’t leave any bits outside and dispose of them properly.
Ethical, Sustainable, Beautiful Books for Kids 