Hickory Dickory Dock

8. Game Creation #2
a) Ask the children to make up a one minute game, using balloons, straws and the
One Minute Song.
HOW LONG
This section suggests activities that explore the notion of ‘how long’. The 9
activities include: Cup Challenge, Cup Game, Paper Walking, Rocket Balloons,
Balloon Rocket Race, Balloon Powered Helicopters, Balloon Powered Rocket
Cars, Balloon Bust, Counting to Twenty.
1. Cup Challenge
a) Ask your children to solve the following problem: How can you move a plastic
cup from one place to another using only a balloon?
b) Use a stopwatch to see how long they take to solve the problem.
c) Provide small groups with a balloon and a plastic cup and start the stopwatch.
d) When the problem is solved tell them how long it took.
(The solution is: place the deflated balloon inside the cup and blow some air into
it, so the inflated balloon fills up the cup…move the cup to where you want to
place it and release the cup by deflating the balloon. Note: children may come up
with other creative possibilities)
2. Cup Game
a) The challenge is to see how long it takes, as a relay team, to carry the cup with
the balloon from one side to another and back again until every member has had
a turn.
b) Record the time it takes the relay team to complete the task.
c) Try to beat the time using the same team.
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