Hovercraft Balloon Projects

The simplest hovercraft balloon projects require only a CD, a balloon, and a pop-up bottle cap to attach them. Pop-up caps are usually found on liquid soap and sparkling water bottles.

Just glue the cap to the center of the CD so it covers the hole completely. Then blow up the balloon, twist the end to hold the air (don't tie it!), and pull it over the cap.

When the cap is pulled up, it will let the air flow through and under the CD, lifting it up and causing it to hover. It's probably the quickest way to illustrate the basic physics of how a hovercraft works.

Although this little toy has no fancy bells and whistles, the principle is exactly the same - the balloon is the lift engine that supplies a steady stream of pressurized air underneath the CD. You don't need a skirt as the CD is light enough to lift by itself. Experiment by moving it over different surfaces and see how it responds.

This is an excellent science experiment for a grade school class, and makes a fun prop for games like table-hockey !

Here's a version from NASA: