Sparking Curiosity With Static Electricity
Winter is a magical time of year, full of wonder and excitement. On this particular day, the air is crisp and cold, and a special kind of magic is in the air: static electricity!
To take advantage of this teachable moment, we’ve embarked on a scientific investigation that involves a classroom full of preschoolers, a bag of balloons, a good deal of hilarity, and some pretty wild hairdos!
“Look at my hair! It’s flying!” shouts Lucy, her eyes wide with surprise as she holds a balloon next to her head. Her hair is sticking up in all directions, to the delight of her young friends.
“Can I make my hair stand up?” asks Tommy, rubbing a balloon against his sweater and then quickly holding it close to his head, hoping to generate enough static electricity to make his own hair stand on end.
The children are investigating an invisible and exciting force of nature. Static electricity is having a moment in our classroom!
Static electricity naturally evokes wonder in young children, which can pave the way for hours of child-led scientific exploration and discovery.
You don’t need an elaborate set-up for these investigations—just a bag of balloons and some curious kids. Blow the balloons up, rub them on a sweater a few times, and the children will be well on their way to exploring the invisible forces that make our world such a fascinating place!
The great thing about these small moments of discovery is that the science doesn’t need to be explained in words. All our young scientists need is to experience their hair standing up, see a balloon sticking to a wall, and share the joy of their surprise and wonder with their fellow investigators.
“Look! My balloon’s stuck!” cries Emma, stepping back from her balloon, which is now clinging to the wall.
“Try rubbing it on your hair again,” suggests Noah, bouncing up and down in excitement. “Then maybe it will stick to your shirt, too!”
The children eagerly follow his advice, rubbing their balloons on their hair and then holding them close to their shirts. Sure enough, the balloons cling to their clothing as well, suspended as if by magic.
A knock at the door signals the arrival of a new friend and the children dash over to share the news of their scientific investigation.
“Ouch!” exclaims Tyler, who is the first to reach out and grab the metal doorknob. “That tickled!”
“Did you get zapped?” I ask.
The room fills with giggles as the children take turns zapping each other, their excitement growing with each zap.
Although it feels like a game to the children, they are also gaining insights into the science behind the magic. They are learning about cause and effect without even realizing it: When they rub the balloons on their heads, their hair stands up. When they rub the balloons on their clothes, the balloons stick to their clothes. When they touch the balloons, they get a tiny zap of static electricity.
The children ask question after question, their curiosity sparking more fun ideas. “What if we rub the balloon on the carpet?” Lucy asks. “Will our feet get zapped?”
Soon the children are rubbing their socks on the carpet and giggling as they touch one another, waiting for the little electric zap to happen.
Some of them feel it, others don’t, but everyone is eager to continue the experiment. Their laughter and energy fill the room, and the feeling of discovery hangs in the air— just like the static electricity that started it all!
Throughout this journey of discovery, the children are developing a rudimentary understanding of the concept of static electricity—not through complex explanations or lessons, but through playful experience. They are learning that rubbing things together creates a force, that things can stick without touching, and that electricity can be both invisible and powerful.
That’s exactly how learning happens in early childhood—through play, exploration, and a dawning awareness of the forces at work in the world we inhabit.
The children may not yet understand static electricity, but they certainly feel its magic. They are experiencing science firsthand in a way that is fun, accessible, and unforgettable.
That’s the real magic of learning—when science feels like play and curiosity leads to discovery.
Ready for more “electrifying” adventures? Check out our Early Science lesson plan, Let’s Have Some Fun With Static Electricity
Consider adding this lesson to your curriculum on January 9, which is National Static Electricity Day!