How to Make a Paper Balancing Bird?

 Overview 

Have you ever heard that the short is less likely to get knocked over? Do you know why? It is all about the center of gravity. We are going to teach you how to make a homemade balancing bird with paper and paperclips, which is the best way to explain the center of gravity. It also can be used to decorate the kids' room.

Ages: 5+         Time: < 10 mins 

 Safety 

1. Adult supervision.
2. Watch out, little kids may swallow paper clips.
3. Be careful with the scissors.

 Materials List 

• Origami
• Pencil
• Paper clips
• Scissors

 Instruction 

Step 1/2 – Fold the origami in half, draw a half body of a bird along the fold line, make sure that the bird’s wings are long enough,  appointing to the direction of its head, cut it out with a pair of scissors, and shape a beak by half folding the head down.




Step 2/2 – Connect two same size of the paper clip to each side of the wings, and the Balancing Bird is finished. Balancing Bird can stand on its beak on any pointed ends, like one end of a stick.

 Troubleshooting 

What if my bird cannot stand on its beak?

If the bird’s wings hang down, it may be that the origami is not hard enough to support the bird’s wings half stretch or the paper clips are too heavy. 
—Use harder origami (The Origami paper recommended in the Material List is perfect for this experiment.) or connect the lighter paper clips, until that the bird’s wings half stretch.

If the bird’s wings stretch out completely, it may be that the origami is too hard or the paper clips are too light.
—Use softer origami or connect more paper clips to its wings, until the bird’s wings half stretch.
If the bird cannot stand on its leak when its wings are in half stretch, it can be that the wings of the bird are too short or do not appoint to the direction of its beak.

 Scientific Description 

The center of gravity of an object is the point which the average location of the weight of an object and all sides are in balance. When the point of the center of gravity and point of the connection share a plumb line, the object is balanced. This is the science behind the balancing bird. The body of the “balancing bird” is made of origami so it is light while its wings are connected to paper clips which will put more weight on its wings. The center of gravity will fall on the place between two paper clips which are on a plumb line on which there is the connecting point between the beak of the bird and the pointed end. Thus, although the bird looks like it is in the air, the weight of it is on the beak.

 Extensions 

1. You can place a variety of birds on wooden sticks to decorate your kids’ room.
2. Besides birds, you can make other kinds of animals. Like butterfly.

 Gift Guide 

There are STEM toys applying the same principle Center of Gravity available on Amazon. If you are looking for something both educational and playful for your little one. This is a great choice.

 Related topic 

Here are more balancing science experiment ideas for you to explore the physics of balance. They are all Impressive.

1. Fork Balance Trick

2. Soda Can Stand on Its Rim

3. Hammer Ruler Balancing Trick