Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Filling the balloons with helium
If you plan on making a room full of balloons (always a personal favorite, but one balloon will do), you need either prebought helium-filled balloons or a rented canister of helium from a local party rental store.
First, collect any balloons that have made it to the ceiling.
Either trim the string (a little at a time) or add the paper clips (one at a time) until the desired equilibrium is achieved.
As the helium escapes the balloon over the course of days, as it inevitably will, simply remove paper clips or trim the string (remember, a little at a time) as necessary, to restore equilibrium.
Balsa wood fish
For this fun toy, you need some small pieces of balsa wood, an X-acto knife (to shape your fish), airplane paint, a clear shellac or polyurethane, a very thin brush, a spool of low gauge wire, small lead shot (the kind you would put on your line when fishing) and a pair of needle-nose pliers. You'll also need a small clear fish bowl, kind of like the ones you win at carnivals when you throw a Ping-Pong ball into one of the bowls. Unlike carnival fish, these fish don't die the next day.
First, cut out your fish.
After the paint dries, paint a thin coat of shellac on the fish so water won't seep into the wood.
When the shellac has dried, cut a short piece of wire---about a quarter to half inch---and form it into a U shape with the pliers. Push both ends of the U into the bottom of the fish, and put it in a clear fish tank filled with water. See where it floats, and then add split shot until it floats at the desired water depth.
Let's go fly a kite
Save up a few dollars and buy a kite.
Follow the instructions on how to assemble the kite.
Find an open area free of overhead obstacles such as trees and power lines, and wait for the wind
Though they are a little more expensive, the foil type of balloons hold their helium for up to five times longer than do plastic balloons. Once the balloons are filled with helium and fastened shut, by either knot or string, you're ready for the fun part.
Then you have three options.
You can either leave enough string on the balloons to serve as a counterweight, attach paper clips or use a combination of the two.
If you set the heights differently and there is a roomful of balloons, it's almost like walking through a colorful water lily bog. If they are set to float a little above your head, it's like walking through vine tendrils in the Amazon forest. But set them as you like. They are your toys, and it is your playtime.
They don't even have to look like fish. Make them dinosaurs if you want. Next, paint your fish. Give 'em smiles, frowns, stripes, polka dots, horns. Heck, give them hair and make them look like your schoolteacher. Whatever.
Presto! You now have a pond of fish that you'll never have to feed (and that won't die).