


We submerged our bowl in warm water to loosen it up a bit, then we flipped our mold out onto a baking sheet (for easier cleanup) and did our demonstration. Once our airplane was suspended in the Jello, it was time to see if this really worked. This is not a quick process, so patience is a must. (The instructions I used were basically the same ones used to put a stapler in Jello on the show The Office. We then made the other two boxes of Jello and poured them on top. Once the Jello was partially set (enough that an object wouldn't sink to the bottom), we placed the toy airplane on top. We washed the toy plane and prepared two of the four boxes. We went to the grocery store and purchased four boxes of orange Jello. I tried to have him imagine the Jello, but then thought Why not show him? So, even though he does not have a fear of flying, I was telling him that the plane may be bumpy at times but that it was completely normal. The plane will bounce up and down, but it cannot fall “ in fact, it barely moves at all.Īs my son was about to venture on his very first airplane flight with his father, we started talking to him about what he was going to experience including turbulence on a plane. To understand turbulence, imagine tapping on the top of the Jello. If you tilt it down, the plane will move downwards. If you tilt the nose of the plane up, the plane will go upwards. If you want to see how the airplane would move through this thick air, he suggests picturing skewers pushing the plane forward. In order to visualize this (since we can't see air), he advises to imagine a small airplane sitting in the middle of a bowl of Jello.

Although turbulence was not what was causing my fear, the imagery Captain Tom used in his program always stuck with me.Īt very high speeds, Captain Tom explains, air becomes very thick. The program covers every aspect of flying, from noises to backup systems to turbulence on a plane. In trying to overcome it, I enrolled in a course called SOAR created by Captain Tom Bunn, a pilot and licensed therapist. Kids Activities Blog always loves science experiments that involve food!Īfter 9/11/01, I developed a fear of flying. Before their next flight, show them this great demonstration with Jello to help calm their fear of flying. Turbulence on a plane can be frightening for kids.
