Two balloons are more fun than one for a static electricity experiment. Take two balloons and tie them each with a separate piece of string. Take the balloons and rub each of them against the same piece of cloth. This will charge the balloons with static electricity. Hold the two pieces of string and let the balloons get close. The kids will be able to see and discuss whether the balloons attract or repel each other. This should get a good discussion going as to what made the balloons react.
Static electricity works in different ways with balloons and different materials. Another experiment consists of taking a balloon and rubbing it with different materials to see which ones will allow the balloon to stick to a wall. These materials can include anything the student wants to try. Students can create a chart and label it on one side with the list of materials. On the other side, the students can write a Y or N for whether or not the balloon sticks to the wall. Following the experiment, the students can discuss the results from the chart.
Using an individual's hair with a balloon can provide a fun static electricity experiment. Take the balloon and rub it against an individual's hair, then slowly pull the balloon away. The individual's hair will follow the balloon. This experiment shows that opposite charges attract. By rubbing the balloon against the hair, the balloon takes away charges from the hair, leaving it positively charged while the balloon remains negatively charged. The positively charged hair then rises up to meet the negatively charged balloon.
Timing the static electricity charge with balloons is another great experiment. An individual can take a balloon and then rub it on different materials to see if it will stick on a wall. Each material can be timed with a stopwatch and then the results can be recorded on a chart. The experiment can also be conducted for a few days and in different weather. The comparisons will show whether the weather had an effect on the static charges.