Activity Overview
Have fun with this great boredom buster activity that family members of all ages with enjoy. In a few easy steps anyone can create this fantastic Floating Ball Activity. I remember having one of these as a toy from a kids' meal at a fast food restaurant when I was a child. My children seemed to enjoy these as much as I did back then and I think that yours will too.
The object of the activity, once it is created, is to blow steadily into the straw and keep the ball afloat in the air above the funneled paper without dropping it. This project took a little troubleshooting for it to work at its best for each of them.
Things to look out for are to make sure that your funnel it tight, to make sure your seal around the straw is good and to make sure you don't cut too big of a hole in the bottom of the funnel because it will be harder to seal.You can also have fun alternating the amount of air that you blow through the straw and watch how the ball reacts while trying to keep it steady.
Materials Needed
- Paper
- Scissors
- Scotch Tape
- A small amount of play-doh or clay
- A ping pong ball, styrofoam ball or a small ball of tightly wrapped foil
How to Make it
- Trace a 4 inch circle onto a piece of paper.
- Cut the circle out with your scissors and cut one slice half way through the circle.
- Slide one end of the paper over the other into a tight funnel shape and secure with tape.
- Make a small hole at the pointed end by snipping it with scissors.
- Take your bendable straw and insert the short end of the straw through the hole and secure the straw with tape. on the outside.
- Take a very small chunk of play-doh and smear it on the inside of the funneled paper around the straw to create an air tight seal.
- Place the ping pong ball or foil ball into the funneled area.
- Place the long side of the straw into your mouth and blow steadily. You may have to shorten the long end of the straw for better air control.
