- 10 - 25 mins
- Creative expression, fine motor, problem-solving, scientific concpets
- Minimal mess
- Easy!
If your kids are like mine, these balloon-powered Lego cars will keep your kids busy for a considerable amount of time! Easy, quick to set up, FUN and something older children can do independently, what more could you want?
Your children will use their fine motor development and engage with creative expression as they design and build their very own Lego Racing car. They will be encouraged to problem solve as they build and attach the balloon to their racer and have hours of fun zooming their cars around the house with the help of a simple balloon! Thankyou Newtons 1st and 2nd law of Motion!
What you will need
- Lego bricks
- Lego wheels
- Balloons
Activity steps
Activity steps
- Encourage your child to create their own Lego car. The sky is the limit here! Younger children many need assistance.
- Using Lego, build a little hole somewhere on your vehicle to stick the balloon through. You will need to problem solve and use trial and error here. Make sure the hole will trap the balloon and not allow it to fly out!
- Attach the balloon through the hole.
- Carefully blow the balloon up and hold the end shut whilst you place the car on the ground.
- Let the balloon go and watch the car zoom across the floor! How far did yours go?
Extension ideas
- Measure how far your car travelled with a measuring tape.
- Record your measurements on a chart.
- Explore with different Lego car designs! The sky is the limit, be as creative and as wild as you like!
Learning Outcomes
- Fine motor development
- Creative expression
- Understand basic principles of motion using air and force. An object at rest stays at rest until force is added (Newton’s 1st & 2nd Law of motion).
- Engage with basic scientific concepts- prediction, experimentation, questioning, problem-solving.
Reference sites
We would like to acknowledge these amazing sites that have inspired us to create this activity. Thank you!