You know how it goes with balloons. It takes a lot of huffin’ and puffin’ to get ’em blown up. When you do — or when you talk someone else into blowing one for you — you can tie it to a string and run, or bat it above the sleeping cat, or pop it. Balloons are versatile toys.
But, in order to do any of these activities, you first have to inflate the latex and then knot it securely. As we learned in preschool science last week, there are two methods of inflation. We’ll begin with the obvious one: by your own mouth.
First, you must put the open end of the balloon in your mouth, but not all the way in your mouth. Ideally, a centimeter of balloon should be inside your lips, and the rest should hang outside your lips.
Next, hold the balloon’s neck with your lips, but not too tightly and stop laughing when I say “neck”. The idea is not to strangle the poor balloon, but to kiss it. Gently.
It also helps to hold the neck part next to your lips with two of your fingers. Or all ten. But no squeezing.
Now, take a deep breath, filling your lungs with good, fresh air. You’re going to exhale all of that air out of your lungs, past your teeth, over your tongue, through your mouth, and into the balloon — without puffing your cheeks. You heard me — no puffing. Ready? Go.
Deep breath.
Relax cheeks.
Pucker lips.
Blow.
Okay, try again. Pretend you’re a trumpeter. Trumpeters practice good embouchure, which is French for “facial muscle tension.” You’re welcome.
Still having trouble? Well, how about let’s forget the mouth method and learn how to blow up a balloon with science instead? Okay.
You’ll each need an empty plastic bottle, some baking soda, some vinegar, and a spoon. Oma will pour vinegar into your bottles, and you can scoop soda into the balloon.
Once you have a pile of soda inside the latex (squish the balloon bulb with your fingers so you can tell if you have soda inside) you’re going to stretch the balloon neck around the opening of the bottle.
Good job.
The next part is the fun part: While holding the balloon neck, lift the bulb end of the balloon so that the soda drops into the bottle, contacting that vinegar.
What do you think?
Pretty neat! Science for the win, again.
No, I don’t know why Oma is wearing one black sock and one white sock. But if you let her kiss your puffy cheeks, she’ll let you fill another balloon neck with baking soda, watch it inflate, tie it off for you, and watch you bat it around the back yard.