Walking the Wire
Tightrope walkers carry a long pole when they cross a wire high above the ground.
But here's the strange part...
The pole makes them more difficult to tip over.
Scientists and engineers use the same idea in racing cars, robots, ships and even some toys.
Your challenge is to build a balancing walker using only a paddle pop stick, a pipe cleaner and two pegs.
Then you'll discover how moving just one part can turn an impossible balancing act into an easy one.
Can you build a walker that refuses to fall?
5-12 yrs
Easy
10
min
Stage 1-3
Mission Briefing.
Designed by Darin Carr (BSc, DipEd)
NESA Accredited Teacher Chemistry & Physics Specialist
Creator of the LAB™ Learning System
Alex
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Walking the Wire
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NESA Accredited Teacher
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High school chemistry & physics specialist 30+ years
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The Crazy Scientist in primary schools — 15 years
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International conference presenter on science education
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Creator of the LAB™ Learning System
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Curriculum aligned: NSW Science & Technology K–6 (2024)
A picture is worth a thousand words — check this out and see if you can spot the science hiding in plain sight.
Mission Equipment
1 paddle pop stick
1 pipe cleaner
2 wooden pegs (clothespins)
Decorative elements (stickers etc)
Let’s Investigate
1
Try only the paddle-pop stick
Before you build anything, place the bottom end of the paddle pop stick on the tip of one finger and try to balance it vertically.
Don't hold it — just balance it. What happens?
3
Attach to stick
Twist the middle of the pipe cleaner arch around the paddle pop stick — start near the BOTTOM of the stick, as low as you can go while still leaving enough room to balance on your finger. Wrap it firmly so it doesn't slide.
5
Balance Test
Place the bottom of the paddle pop stick on the tip of one finger and let go.
The structure should balance — and wobble back upright when you nudge it.
Try tilting it deliberately and watch it correct itself.
2
Make the balance pole
Take the pipe cleaner and bend it into a smooth arch — like an upside-down U.
Both ends should curve downward and be roughly the same length on each side. This is the balance pole for your tightrope walker.
4
Clip on the pegs
Clip one wooden peg onto each end of the pipe cleaner arch so they hang freely below the stick.
The pegs should dangle down — not be pushed upward.
Give the whole structure a gentle wobble to check both pegs are secure.
6
Move attachment point
Now slide or re-wrap the pipe cleaner higher up the paddle pop stick — near the middle or top.
Try to balance it again. What happens? Then move it back down low. What changes?
Did it work? Share the science! Tag @the_crazy_scientist on Instagram — we love seeing your experiments!
The Crazy Scientist LAB Learning System™
Every experiment follows The Crazy Scientist Lab Learning System™ — a simple way to help kids think like real scientists.
We
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LINK to what they already know,
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ACTIVATE curiosity through hands-on discovery
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BUILD understanding that actually sticks.
Have you ever seen a tightrope walker carrying a long balancing pole?
At first glance it seems strange. Wouldn't carrying a heavy pole make balancing harder?
Yet professional tightrope walkers almost always use one.
Engineers use similar ideas when designing racing cars, ships, robots and even playground equipment.
Before you build anything...
Why do you think the pole helps?
What might it be doing that your eyes can't see?
Record your prediction and then test your ideas.
What happened when you tried to balance the plain stick? What changed when you added the pegs?
When you moved the attachment point higher up the stick, what happened to the balance?
Where do you think the centre of the whole structure's weight is — above your finger, at your finger, or below it?
Scientists often make objects more stable by changing where their weight is distributed.
Think about these examples:
Why are racing cars built so low to the ground?
Why do sailboats carry heavy keels underneath?
Why do some toys wobble but always return upright?
Why do tightrope walkers use long poles instead of short ones?
Your balancing walker uses the same hidden idea.
Can you explain what all these examples have in common?
"Want the full teacher guide? The Crazy Scientist Lab includes classroom delivery tips, how to manage the WOW moment, differentiation for Stage 2 & 3, — ready to teach tomorrow."
Think Like a Scientist
Scientists don't just do ONE experiment; they change one part of the experiment (independent variable) and then see how it affects another part of the experiment
(dependent variable)
Change ONE variable and test again.
Does moving the pipe cleaner attachment point lower on the paddle pop stick make the balance more stable — is there a point where it becomes impossible to knock over?
What happens if you add a third peg to one side only — can you adjust the pipe cleaner to make it balance again?
🧪 Try it! Change ONE thing and test again. What did you discover?
Dr Puddledrip’s Science Tip
Want to go deeper? Tap a section below to explore. ▼
The Science Behind It
Why does the plain stick fall over?
Balancing a paddle pop stick on your finger is surprisingly difficult.
Even a tiny wobble causes the stick to tip. Once it starts falling, gravity pulls it further away from the balanced position until it topples over.
Scientists call this an unstable balance point.
What changed when you added the pegs?
When the pegs hang below the stick, the weight of the whole structure is spread out differently.
Now, when the walker begins to wobble, it behaves very differently from the plain stick.
Instead of immediately falling, it tends to swing back toward its balanced position.
Try nudging it gently and watch what happens.
Why does moving the attachment point matter?
You probably noticed something interesting during your investigation.
When the pipe cleaner was attached lower on the stick, balancing became easier.
When it was moved higher, balancing became harder.
This tells us that the position of the weights is important.
But why?
Scientists Investigate Hidden Balance Points
Every object has a special point that affects how it balances.
Scientists and engineers use this idea when designing:
racing cars
ships
robots
balancing toys
tightrope equipment
Understanding where this hidden balance point sits helps explain why some objects are stable, and others topple over.
Can you work out where that point might be in your balancing walker?
Curiosity Spark
Real tightrope walkers can carry balancing poles over 8 metres long.
If the pole helps them balance...
Would an even longer pole make balancing easier or harder?
Why?
Find out in The Crazy Scientist Lab.
Extension: G&T Years 5 & 6
What happens if you add a third peg to one side only? Can you make it balance again?
Clip an extra peg onto just one side of your balancing walker. Before testing, make a prediction:
Will the walker still balance, tip toward the heavier side, or wobble differently?
Now investigate:
Try balancing it with the extra peg attached.
Move the pipe cleaner attachment point up or down the paddle pop stick.
Slide the extra peg closer to or further from the centre.
Bend one side of the pipe cleaner slightly longer than the other.
Challenge: Can you find a way to make the walker balance again without removing the extra peg?
Curiosity Question: If the two sides have different amounts of weight, what do you think scientists and engineers must consider when designing bridges, cranes, robots or ships?
Record your observations: Which adjustment made the biggest difference to the balance?
Vocabulary
Balance
When the forces acting on an object are equal so it does not tip or fall.
Stability
How well an object resists tipping over and returns to its balanced position after being disturbed.
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READY TO TEACH THIS
TOMORROW?
Running the experiment is easy; however, teaching it well is another challenge.
Teachers often ask:
How do I adapt this for Stages 1,2 or 3?
What do I do with fast finishers?
What misconceptions will they have?
How do I structure this for a full class?
What syllabus outcomes does it cover?
What do I say when they ask WHY?
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