Project: Ice Balloons

 

It's no secret that it has been mighty cold here in the state of Wyoming. Often that cold is coupled with insane wind which means we spend a lot of time indoors. Thankfully this often leads us to come up with fun projects. Yesterday after lunch the girls and I decided to freeze some water-balloons.I added a little color to the balloons to give them something special. I used it as an opportunity to talk about freezing and solid vs. liquid, see what I did there? Educational points, boom. We also talked about the dilution of color, having added a very dark color to the balloons.

You could also add seeds or small leaves for a more natural/adult look that would also benefit animals.

We set them out in backyard the snow for the night.



This morning I gathered them up in a big sauce pan and brought them inside, leaving a few outside to freeze all the way through, in spite of the frigid temps the balloons weren't completely frozen.



I cut off the balloons and there was a little gushing as the unfrozen middles poured out over the sink. I wasn't sure if this was a win or a fail at first. I mean I certainly hadn't expected them to gush water from the middle.



I decided that I really liked the hollowed out globes, they had a really delicate beauty to them.



Then we took them out front and set them in the snow as temporary decorations. If I were having a party I think I would do this with a dozen or so balloons and then insert led lights into the hollow center, it would be magical!



The girls were impressed with our little project.



I mean really, it's pretty.



They look a bit like the glass water balls that people use to water indoor plants.



 Who knows, when the balloons I left outside are solidly frozen we might have to invent ice bowling.