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Explore · Wild and Tumble activity

Coat hanger scales

Which is heavier, a pine cone or a conker? Make simple scales and find out.

  • 20 min total
  • Low mess
  • Ages 3–5*
  • Indoors or out
  • Any season
Let's do this

*Illustrative age guidance. Your child's development and circumstances matter more than a number.

A tiny plan for your day

Estimated time: 5 min to make · 13 min to weigh · 2 min to tidy. It's fine to stop early.

Before you start

What you’ll need

  • A coat hanger
  • Two small bags or cups with string handles
  • Pegs or string to attach them
  • Things to weigh: pine cones, stones, leaves, conkers

Let's begin

Five simple steps

That's the whole activity. Tick each step off as you go, and stop whenever you like.

  1. Hang a bag or cup from each end of the coat hanger.

  2. Hang the coat hanger from a low branch or door handle.

  3. Put a pine cone in one side and a stone in the other.

  4. Which side goes down? That's the heavier one!

  5. How many leaves weigh the same as one stone?

All done!

That's every step. However it went, you made a little moment together.

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