Balloon Popping Meter Chart

This week I made a balloon meter to check if the children were ready for the Primary Program.  As the children sang a song, someone pulled the ribbon that was attached to that songs balloon. If they sang really well, the balloon would go all the way to the top and pop on a pin.  

To make the meter, I purchased a large foam board during a half price sale at Hobby Lobby. I tied different colored ribbons all the way around the board. (The ribbon that curls needs to be stretched before you tie it onto the board, or it will stretch and become loose as you do the activity. Run scissors along the ribbon a couple of times (as if you were curling it) and that should do it.)

I made long song labels for each of the different songs I was checking them on. I printed each song label onto a different colored paper. The papers matched the different ribbons. I taped each label under its matching colored ribbon. I tied a matching colored, blown up balloon to each ribbon. I had left about three inches of ribbon attached when I tied the ribbon onto the board. I used that ribbon to tie on the balloons. I pushed the balloon up against the ribbon and taped the back of the balloon up onto the ribbon so that it couldn’t move to the left or right. This allowed the needle to pierce the balloon. I took a large clip and taped a long needle to it. I taped it in such a manner that the needle could not move to the right or left.

When you put the clip onto the top of the board, above a balloon, it needs to go under the ribbon on the front and the back of the board. This allows the ribbon to freely move up and down. I asked our Primary secretary to operate the meter. She watched the children sing, and she moved the balloon up toward the needle as they sang well, and she stopped at parts they had trouble with. After they sang a song, we went over the parts they had problems with, and then we sang the song again. Our secretary moved the balloon some more as they sang well. When she felt like they knew the song well enough, she moved the ballloon to the top and it popped on the needle.   

Ribbon Wrapped Box

I had also wrapped a box of treats with the same colored ribbons I had used on the chart. Inside the box was Tootsie “Pops”. Each time the children pop a balloon they will get to cut a ribbon. When all the ribbons are cut, it means they know all the songs and are ready for the program. As a reward for all their hard work, they get the tootsie pops. The ribbon cutting activity could be used separately, and would be a great motivational activity on its own.

I got the gift wrapping idea from a friend several years ago. She may have gotten the idea off the internet from someone else. I got the balloon popping idea from a website several months ago. I looked and couldn’t find where I found it, so once again, thank you to all the people who inspire us with their great ideas.

Note: Be sure to test out the balloon meter at home before using it in Primary, to make sure it works properly and is set up correctly.