Hack: A Spill-Proof Water Cup.

🎂 3 + years ⏱️ 10 min 📍 Anywhere ⭐ very easy

Have you ever painted with watercolors, and just when your picture is looking great, you accidentally knock over your water cup? Water spills everywhere, your picture gets wet, and you have to dry everything off. It feels frustrating, right? Here’s a trick to prevent that from happening. You only need a cup of water, a balloon, and a bit of skill. The balloon acts like a lid on your cup. If you knock it over, the water stays inside because only a small hole is open. You can still dip your brush in, but the water won’t spill out. This is how you work like a scientist: you experiment with a problem and find a solution, realizing it works.

What you'll need

Cup of water
A balloon
A pair of scissors
Paint box and brush

How it works

Take a balloon in your hand and hold it tightly. Carefully cut off the tip with the scissors. Tip: Don’t cut off too much. The balloon should fit snugly like a cap over your cup.
Now, gently pull the balloon over the edge of the cup. The balloon should fit tightly, which is good. This keeps everything sealed. Tip: It can be a bit tricky. Hold the cup firmly and pull the balloon down bit by bit.
Push the neck of the balloon inward, into the cup. Now you have just a small hole in the middle. That’s where you dip your brush.
Tip the cup over intentionally once. You’ll be amazed: the water stays inside!
Now you not only have a safe water cup, but you’ve also thought like a little inventor. This is often how new things are created: someone sees a problem, thinks of a solution, and tries it out. Maybe you already have your next idea in mind?!