Make a Bungee Scale

Which weighs more: a fluffy teddy bear or a roll of quarters? Without any understanding of the complexity of weight, your child may guess the larger teddy bear. Introduce the concept of measuring weight to your child by making a fun and easy-to-use bungee scale! This project will enhance your child's understanding of weight and will even provide a basis for understanding more complex scientific principles such as density and gravity.

What You Need:

• Objects of varying weights
• Bungee cord
• Small bucket
• Butcher paper
• Marker

What to Do:

1. Attach the bungee cord to the bucket by wrapping it around the bucket's handle.
2. Hang the bungee cord and bucket in front of a wall or inside an empty closet with the butcher paper on the wall directly behind it.
3. Invite your child to place one of the objects inside the bucket. How far does the bucket move? Ask her to put a mark on the butcher paper to show where the bucket hangs when it is holding that specific object.
4. Draw a small picture or write the name of the object near the mark.
5. Continue placing the other objects one at a time in the bucket and marking their places.
6. Discuss the findings with your child and what the marks mean. The lower on the butcher paper a mark is, the heavier the object was.

As an add-on to this activity, encourage your child to arrange the objects on the ground in order of their weight.