Balancing with M&M’s

There are lots of ways to use candy  in learning activities or in play. Use the candy for some candy science! Try balancing with M&M’s.

Balancing with M&M’s

I created a simple balance from a hanger, yarn, tape, and cups {similar to the hanger balance Deirdre made at Kids Activities Blog}. I used two little plastic cups from a package that I’ve had in my house forever. Raid your recycling bin and look for two containers that are the same – yogurt cups, etc. My cups did not like to have holes poked in the them – they simply split apart. Instead, I taped the yarn around the top of the cup and formed a loop.

I hung the hanger on a door knob and placed the yarn and cups on the hanger.

I showed Aiden how adding M&M’s changed the balance of the system. The cup with M&M’s was lower than the empty cup.

He added M&M’s to the empty cup to balance the system once again. I had him count the number of M&M’s in each cup. There was the same amount. We talked about the words equal and balanced.

Aiden then found some other things to weigh with the M&M’s. He chose Legos.

He observed 5 Lego blocks was heavier than 20 M&M’s.

2 Lego blocks weighed about the same as 20 M&M’s.

Balancing with M&M’s is a fun activity that works on measuring, comparing, making observations, counting, and more.

You might also like our Spelling with M&M’s activity. Download the free printable.

More Science Activities with Candy

Check out the other candy science activities in the series:

Sink or Float Candy Science from Reading Confetti
Balloon Experiments with Candy from Learn Play Imagine
Candy Corn Catapults from Frugal Fun for Boys
Exploding Peep Geysers from Housing a Forest
Candy Chromatography from Mama Miss

View all of the themes for the entire candy activities for kids series.

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This post was first published on October 11, 2013.