Balancing Hearts DIY Toy Project

Imagine mastering the delicate dance of balance and gravity with just a few simple tools and a dash of creativity. More than a simple craft project, Balancing Hearts DIY Toy Project is a powerful lesson in physics, with a playful theme that is perfect for Valentine’s Day. Whether you’re a parent looking for a fun educational activity or a teacher looking for innovative, hands-on ways to help students understand the forces that keep our world in motion, this project promises not only to educate but to inspire. Kids will explore the concepts of center of mass, gravity, and balance through a creative STEM craft that’s as fun to make as it is to play with. Let’s dive into this fascinating toy making project, where every heart finds its balance and every crafter ignites a spark of scientific wonder!

Balancing Toy STEM Craft with Hearts

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission, paid partnerships, or affiliate links. As an Amazon Influencer I earn from qualifying purchases.

Have you ever tried to balance something on your finger? Grab a pencil and try it right now. You place your finger under what you imagine to be the center of the pencil, right? It tips to one side. So you adjust the position of your finger either to the left or right until you get it to balance perfectly.

Some objects are harder than others to balance because you are not sure where their center of balance could be. One must understand the science of finding the center of mass, gravity, and balance, to make objects balance easily.

In this fun DIY project, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, students are going to make a balancing heart toy. This project ties in with both art and science lessons as students flex their creative skills while also learning about the concepts of center of mass, gravity, and balance.

What is Gravity?

Gravity is a force that pulls everything on the ground. This is why you don’t float away like a balloon and why all objects fall downward when you drop them. Every object has a center of gravity.

What is Balance?

When an object doesn’t tip over, we can say that the object is balancing. When objects can balance and are stable, we know that the object’s center of mass must be in just the right place. Students can practice their balance by standing on one foot.

What is the Center of Mass?

Every object has a center of mass, often referred to as COM in physics. Imagine you have a ruler. If you try to balance it on your finger, there’s one specific spot where the ruler stays perfectly horizontal without tipping over. This special spot is called the center of mass. It’s the point where the ruler’s weight is evenly distributed on both sides, making it balanced.

Now, the center of mass isn’t always right in the middle of an object. It depends on how the weight is spread out. For instance, if you have a hockey stick the center of mass will be closer to bottom of the hockey stick because the blade (the part you put on the ice) adds more material and more weight to one end.

In science, we think of the center of mass as the point where you could balance the entire weight of an object on just one spot. This concept is really useful because it helps us understand how objects will behave when they move or when forces act on them, like when you throw a ball or when a car goes around a curve.

So, the center of mass is a fundamental idea in physics that helps us predict and explain the balance and motion of objects in a more detailed and precise way.

How to Find Center of Mass (COM)

So how can we find the center of mass of different shaped objects?

For simple, solid, symmetrical shapes like a square or rectangle, the center of mass is usually in the middle. To find the center of the object, you use a ruler and draw a line across the object, from the edges of two sides, and the point where the two lines cross is its center of mass.

For an asymmetrical shape, the center of mass is different. The center of mass of simple asymmetrical shapes can be found using the same method as for symmetrical shapes.

COM Formula for Complex Shapes

For more complex asymmetrical shapes, the shape you are trying to find the center of mass for must be broken up into easier shapes first. Let’s talk about how to find the center of mass for an object that isn’t the same all over—like a shape made up of different parts, each with its own weight. Imagine you have a model of a solar system, where each planet is a different size and weight, and you want to find the exact spot where you can balance the whole model.

Center of Mass Formula for Students

Here’s how you can do it with a simple formula, which is like a recipe:

1. List Each Part’s Weight: First, write down how much each part weighs. Let’s say the sun is 10 grams, Earth is 1 gram, and Mars is 2 grams.
2. Measure Where Each Part Is: Next, measure how far each part is from a starting point (like the left side of your model). Suppose the sun is 5 cm from the start, Earth is 15 cm, and Mars is 12 cm.
3. Multiply for Each Part: For each part, multiply the weight by how far it is from the start. For our solar system, it would be:
   • Sun: 10 grams × 5 cm = 50 gram-cm
   • Earth: 1 gram × 15 cm = 15 gram-cm
   • Mars: 2 grams × 12 cm = 24 gram-cm
4. Add Them All Up: Add up all those multiplied numbers. That’s 50 + 15 + 24 = 89 gram-cm.
5. Add Up the Weights: Also add up all the weights: 10 + 1 + 2 = 13 grams.
6. Divide to Find the Center: Finally, divide the big number by the total weight: 89 gram-cm ÷ 13 grams = about 6.85 cm.

This answer, 6.85 cm, tells you that the center of mass, or the balancing point for your solar system model, is about 6.85 cm from the starting point. If you put your finger right there, the model should balance perfectly!

This method works no matter how complex or lopsided your shape is because it takes into account both the weight and position of every part.

Building a Balance Toy

So, now that we understand what the center of mass, gravity, and balance are, let’s build our DIY balancing toy, so we can not only have fun but also see science in action!

First up, we have a short tutorial video. We highly recommend watching the video as it helps to watch us creating our balance toy before you teach your students how to tackle this project. If you can’t see the video, head over to our YouTube Channel to catch it there.

Materials & Tools

We need some basic supplies and tools to do this project. Some of the materials you may wish to prep ahead of class to make it easier to do this project with a larger group or within a smaller timeframe.

First, grab the templates. These are available to all STEAM Powered Family mailing list members. Simply fill out this form to unlock them.

Now, gather up the following supplies:

Cardstock
Glue gun
White glue
Glue Stick
Ruler
Pencil
Craft knife
Scissors
3 X Thin wooden skewer-15cm long
1 X Wooden toothpick
Toilet roll tube
1 X Plastic bottle top
Wine cork (ensure they are perfectly symmetrical, see below for more plus alternative ideas)
Small piece of cardboard from the recycle bin

Directions

Print out both pages of the templates on cardstock. There is one for both a colour or black and white printer. Print both pages, as you will use one as a guide later.

Cutting the Pieces

Cut out all the pieces from one of the templates. If you have a black & white printer only, color all the pieces with crayons or felt-tip pens.

Trace one of the circles onto the cardboard twice to make two circles, then cut them out with scissors or a craft knife. You may need the help of an adult to cut the cardboard with a craft knife as it is
very sharp.

Ensure that your two wooden skewers have a point on the end and are 15cm long and cut the toothpick to a length of 4cm. You can use scissors to cut the skewers and the toothpick.

Glue the Heart Structure

Place one of the hearts you cut out onto the heart image on the other template page you haven’t cut out. Use the lines as a guide for gluing the wooden sticks in the correct place. One skewer will go on each side, and the toothpick goes in the middle straight down.

Carefully stick all the pieces in place, ensuring that they are in line with the lines on the template. If you have not glued them straight, it will affect the balance of the heart later. Leave this to dry for about 10 minutes.

When dry, use a glue stick to glue the second heart on top of the first heart and all the sticks. You
can put a heavy weight on top of it for a while to ensure it dries nice and flat.

Preparing the Cork

We recommend having two corks, this is so you have a back up in case you make a mistake! The corks are being used to help the heart balance. They give it more weight to help gravity keep it balanced.

SAFETY NOTE!
Box cutters are sharp and cutting a round object can be challenging. Ensure your students are old enough to safely handle this task without cutting themselves and demonstrate safe ways to cut the cork and protect the fingers. If you are unsure of your students’ abilities, you can precut the corks so they are already done for your class or group.

The cork must be cut into two equal-sized and weighted pieces, so do it slowly and carefully.
Measure the length of your cork and find the middle. I am working on a cutting mat with grid measurements, which makes it easier. I roll the cork along the mat, in a straight line and mark it as I go. You can also use a piece of grid paper or a ruler if you don’t have a cutting mat.

Cut the cork into two equal pieces with the box cutter. DO NOT TRY AND CUT THROUGH THE CORK IN ONE GO! Roll the cork along the mat, in a straight line and cut in small sections, until you are all the way through. After cutting, stand them side-by-side to check that they are the same height. If one is shorter, cut the taller one to the same height as the shorter one. For extra precision, weigh each half to ensure they are the same.

Find the middle of each cork using the ruler and pencil. Push the pencil lead into the center of the cork slightly. Make the holes deeper by pushing a spare wooden skewer into the holes.

Cork Alternatives

If you don’t have corks you can try other techniques such as:

• Weighing out equal sized pieces of clay or playdough
• Gluing on bolts (the challenge will be ensuring you use exactly the same amount of glue)
• Gluing on beads (again ensure you use the same amount of glue)
• Erasers

Build the Base

Using the glue gun, put a line of glue along the top of the tube, and stick the circle on top of the tube. Use the heat of the side of the glue gun nozzle to melt any excess glue flat.

Repeat these steps on the opposite end of the tube.

Centre the bottle cap on the top of the tube and trace it with the pencil. Then put a line of glue onto the top, inside the pencil line, and press the bottle cap into the glue.

Decorating your balancing toy

If you are going to paint your balancing toy and the two corks, do so now.

You may decorate the tube using the heart from the template or do your own “Valentine” design.
This is where kids can let their artistic sides flourish!

Final Steps

Make a mark 1cm up from the point of the two long arms.

Push the corks onto each arm, up to the mark you just made.

Place the heart onto the tube and see if it balances.

If it doesn’t balance, the corks are not the same weight, or one might need to be pushed on a little
more. You may need to play around with it to get it to balance properly. This is where kids get to really play with the physics of this project!

How Does the Balance Toy Work?

Gravity Always Pulls Down

Gravity is a force that pulls everything toward the ground. This force affects every part of the heart, the toothpick, skewers, and cork weights.

Balance and Center of Mass

The heart is balanced because the center of mass is in the right place due to how we placed the toothpick, skewers and corks.

Think about it. The weights at the ends of the skewers pull the center of mass below the heart and the toothpick. When the center of mass is below the balancing point, which is the toothpick, the heart becomes very stable.

The skewers with equal weights also spread the weight out evenly. This low, wide center of mass makes it harder for the heart to fall over.

What Happens when you Tilt the Heart?

Even if you try to tip the heart, gravity will pull the center of mass back down. This makes the heart swing back to its balanced position, just like one of those wobble toys.

EXTENSION LESSONS

Now your students know their physics lessons, challenge them to build other balancing toys. We made hearts which is a great Valentine’s Day theme, but what about rockets, or cats, or stars? Come up with a cool theme that aligns with your lessons or get your kids to come up with their own concepts.

Challenge them to build with different materials. They could build one out of wood, or Lego, tinker toys.

Try using erasers, wooden beads or play dough as your weights, or maybe heavier items like washers and bolts. Does it work better when the weights are heavier or lighter?

Try building a taller base, how does that affect the results?

Or branch out into some other fun physics projects.

Create a true wow moment that defies gravity with a Tensegrity Structure STEM Project.

Another cool project that uses our heads to explore center of mass and inertia, is this hilariously fun and simple Inertia Hat project.

Finally, build like the greats with a da Vinci Bridge project.