This simple balancing ice skater STEM challenge is the first of a series of Winter Olympic themed science activities. The idea is to make a cardstock skater attached to a small piece of dowel, balance on your finger! It seems impossible, but with a bit of clever science, it works really well and looks amazing.
It's a great way to learn about the centre of mass and balance, while patiently making small adjustments and observing how they change the position of the skater. Play-dough works well as you can easily adjust how much you use and its position.
Balancing Ice Skater Challenge
You'll need
- Small piece of dowel
- Play doh
- Paper straws
- Cardstock/card ice skater
- Tape
Instructions
Cut the skater image out from the template page or draw your own.
Attach a small piece of dowel to the skater as shown in the photo.
Try to balance the dowel on your finger, the skater should fall off.
Attach two straws to the back of the skater using tape, so they point downwards diagonally on each side.
Try to balance the skater again. If it falls off, add a little Play-Doh to the bottom of each and adjust until the skater balances.
Why does it work
The ice skater stays balanced when its centre of mass is directly above the wooden dowel. Gravity pulls downwards, and if the centre of mass isn’t lined up over the dowel at the bottom, it creates a turning force that tips the ice skater over.
Adding straws and Play-Doh changes the centre of mass of the ice skater and the dowel. Adjusting the straws and Play-Doh bit by bit moves the centre of mass over the dowel, balancing the skater.
Last Updated on January 25, 2026 by Emma Vanstone
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