Balance Beam Challenge: Exploring Center of Gravity
Supply List
About This Project
Let’s turn your playground into a science lab and see how your body helps you balance! In this activity, you’ll walk across a balance beam (or a line on the ground) in different ways to find out what makes balancing easier or harder. You’ll learn about something called your center of gravity, where your body’s weight is balanced, and how it affects your walk. (Image generated with AI)
Steps
Make a Guess
Will it be easier to balance with my arms out or by my sides? What if I crouch low or stand up tall? What will happen if I hold something heavy above my head or off to the side? Tell your grown-up your guesses!
Try Different Ways to Balance
Walk slowly across the balance beam with your arms out wide like an airplane. Try again with your arms by your sides. Was one way easier? Now walk across while standing up tall, and then again while crouching low. Try holding a heavy object (like a book, ball, or small backpack) above your head, and then off to one side. Which way is hardest? Which is easiest?
Understanding the Science
Which way helped you balance best? Did your guesses match what happened? What surprised you? Balancing is all about your center of gravity. Your center of gravity is the spot in your body where your weight is balanced. When your arms are out, your weight spreads out too, making it easier to stay steady—like a tightrope walker! When you crouch low, your center of gravity is closer to the ground, which also helps you balance. Holding something heavy above your head or off to the side moves your center of gravity, making it trickier to stay steady. Scientists and athletes use these tricks to help them balance better. What did you discover about balance today? (Image generated with AI)
Ready to start your kids' creative journey?
Sign in or Join GlueStick to
- View step-by-step, ad-free instructions for this project and many more
- Snap a photo of your family's favorite supplies to search for other projects you can do right now
- Share family masterpieces in our Art Gallery
- Inspire kids from set-up to clean-up with supply scavenger hunts and unlockable avatars
About the Author
