Looking for an exciting STEAM activity that combines science, technology, engineering, art, and math—all while keeping your kids engaged at home? Try building a balloon-powered car! It’s a hands-on experiment that teaches physics, motion, and design thinking, and you only need a few household items to get started.
🧪 What You’ll Learn
- Math: Measure distance, speed, and performance
- Science: Newton’s Third Law of Motion (every action has an equal and opposite reaction)
- Technology: How energy transfer works
- Engineering: Basic vehicle structure and propulsion
- Art: Customize your car design
Looking for an exciting STEAM activity that combines science, technology, engineering, art, and math—all while keeping your kids engaged at home? Try building a balloon-powered car! It’s a hands-on experiment that teaches physics, motion, and design thinking, and you only need a few household items to get started.
🛠 Materials Needed
- 1 balloon
- 4 plastic bottle caps (or small round items for wheels)
- 2 straws (1 full, 1 cut into two pieces)
- 1 wooden skewer or stick (cut into two axles)
- Cardboard or stiff paper for the car base
- Tape and scissors
- Optional: markers or stickers for decoration
🧰 Instructions
- Inflate and Release!
Blow up the balloon through the straw, pinch the end, place the car on the floor, and let go! - Build the Car Base
Cut a piece of cardboard into a rectangle (about 6 inches long). - Make the Axles
Insert a skewer or stick through each short straw piece. These are your axles. Tape the straws to the bottom of your car base so the axles can spin freely. - Add the Wheels
Poke holes in the bottle caps and attach them to the axles to act as wheels. - Attach the Balloon
Tape one end of the full straw to the balloon’s opening. Wrap tightly so no air escapes. Tape the straw-and-balloon combo onto the top of your car so that the straw sticks out behind the car.
🔍 Extend the Learning
- Challenge: Measure how far the car goes. Can you improve its distance?
- Experiment: Try changing wheel sizes or balloon sizes to see how it affects motion.
- Design: Make it look like a race car or spaceship using art supplies!
