science experiment send a tea bag flying

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March 23, 2023

Flying Tea Bag Experiment for Kids

There is nothing like a cool science experiment to get kids excited about learning something new.

This flying tea bag experiment has to be one of the most fun ways to teach kids about heat energy–between the fire and flying they are sure to be captivated.

It’s also way easier and less messy than you think!  

Flying Tea Bag Experiment Supplies

Here’s what you’ll need to try the flying tea bag science experiment:

• Single serving tea bags
• A small bowl
• A solid stone or metal surface

Flying Tea Bag Science Experiment for Kids

How to do the flying tea bag experiment:

* Adult supervision is advised at all times. Only adults should handle matches and conduct this experiment for kids to watch.

• Conduct this experiment on a metal or stone surface. Make sure that you have enough space above the surface for the tea bag to float up and extinguish itself.
• Open the tea bags, and carefully unfold them.
• Empty out the tea leaves into a small bowl, and save them for use in other ways if you like. Tea leaves make great garden compost!
• Hollow out the center of the tea bags with your fingers, and stand them up on end on the solid metal or stone surface.
• With a match, quickly light the top tip of each standing tea bag.
• Watch as the tea bag burns to the bottom, and then quickly floats up into the sky.

See the flying tea bag experiment in action!

How the Flying Tea Bag Experiment Works

The flying tea bag experiment is really a heat experiment masked as a super cool trick. As the flame burns is heats the air inside the hollow center of the tea bag. As the air gets hotter the molecules become less dense and move around.

The less dense warmer air rises above the more dense cooler air around the tea bag. Since the tea bag is so light it rises with it and appears to fly. This is a fun, hands on way for kids to see how heat effects air molecules.

If you like this one you’ll also want to try A Simple Heat Experiment too!

You only need a couple supplies and it helps kids visualize how temperature can change how air and water molecules react.

But don’t let the fun and discovery stop there!

We have TONS of science experiments your kids will love on our  Super Cool Science Experiments for Kids  page! 

Take me to the experiments –>   Super Cool Science Experiments for Kids

Pin it for later–>   Huge List of the Very Best Science Experiments for Kids

About Megan Sheakoski

Megan is the creator of Coffee Cups and Crayons, a blog full of simple fun and learning. She believes that kids’ activities don’t have to be complicated to be fun and that learning is better with play.

July 30, 2019 at 12:36 pm

what kid of tea bags I tried many tea bags but they don’t fly

August 8, 2019 at 2:37 pm

We just use the regular tea bags you can buy in a grocery store. Different brands have all worked. Make sure to completely empty them and take off any tags or strings. What kind have you tried?

March 29, 2022 at 4:22 am

Buy a tea bag which is folded and with the staples on it

March 29, 2022 at 4:21 am

Who made this theory?

February 9, 2023 at 11:01 pm

i need the data table for this

February 16, 2023 at 7:46 am

Hello! If you are trying to conduct trials of this experiment you can create a data table in Word, Excel or Powerpoint to use. Or even use a ruler to hand draw one in your notebook.

June 23, 2023 at 10:35 am

I used two different types of teabags and they didn’t work. They burned but didn’t fly up in the air. Glad I tried it at home before I did it at work.

June 29, 2023 at 2:59 pm

Did you try the old school, cheap non-flavored ones yet? That’s the type the author used. There are so many fancier ones now. We haven’t tried those.

July 13, 2023 at 1:42 pm

My little scientist (aged 9) enjoyed this very much , worked first time .. Thanks so much for posting such an easy, no fuss experiment 🙂

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NOTIFICATIONS

The flying tea bag.

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In this activity, students observe an empty tea bag that is set alight. The burning causes a column of hot air and gas from combustion to rise above it due to convection. When the bag is light enough, it will be carried up into the convection current.

By the end of this activity, students should be able to:

• understand the concept of convection

Download the PDF file (see link below) for:

• what you need
• scientific explanation
• references.

Thanks to IOP Publishing for permission to use the attached article, which originally appeared in the IOP journal Physics Education (2004 Vol 39 (1) 22-23).

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Flying Tea Bag Ghosts

Ready for a hands on experiment that will thrill kids while also demonstrating the power of density differences and convection currents? This Flying Ghosts Science Experiment is perfect for Halloween or any time of year, as part of a thermodynamics study. Simple and quick to do, kids will be asking to do this flying tea bag experiment over and over again.

Flying Tea Bag Heat Science Experiment

Table of Contents

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When you do this experiment your kids will probably think it is a trick. Like our Why Does It Rise? Water Experiment . It is so incredibly cool, kids will be obsessed and want to send ghost after tea bag ghost flying through the air! But this is no trick. It is actually a really fascinating experiment demonstrating the science of heat.

Flying Tea Bag Supplies

Tea bags – You want the type with tags that fold over. I used Twinnings and Stash brands that I had on hand and both worked perfectly. Scissors Baking Sheet or other heat proof surface Markers Lighter Surface protector, like parchment paper for using sharpie

SAFETY FIRST!

Whenever working with any fire in a science experiment you need to ensure you have proper adult supervision, a safe, fire proof work area, and a fire extinguisher. Always put safety first, even with relatively safe experiments such as this one.

In our experience the ghosts launched 5 to 6 feet into the air. Ensure you have plenty of ceiling clearance.

Halloween Flying Ghosts Science Experiment

Check out our video of this fun experiment. If you can’t see the video, please turn off any adblockers as they also block our video feed. This video is also available on the STEAM Powered Family YouTube Channel .

Carefully snip the string holding the tag of the tea bag and remove it.

Fold open the tea bag and empty all the tea into a bowl.

You can still use the tea leaves to make tea with a diffuser, or add it to your compost. You can also use it in soaps or bath bombs !

Smooth the tea bag out and place it on a sheet of parchment paper before drawing on your ghost faces and designs with a marker. It will bleed through, so ensure you protect your table top surface.

Once your designs are finished, use your fingers to carefully open up the tube, then stand it up on the baking sheet.

When you are ready, light the top with a lighter. It should catch fire quickly. Step back and prepare for the flight.

It will burn down, then as it reaches the base it will lift off and your ghost will take flight!

After the Flight

After it takes off, the ghost tea bag will shoot into the air, then the ashy remains will gently float back down to the baking sheet. They are very light and therefore susceptible to air currents. If you hold your hand still the ash may fall back into your hands. Don’t worry, it is perfectly cool by this point!

The Science

So how exactly are our ghosts taking flight in such a spectacular way?

When you light the tea bag, the heat from the fire causes the air molecules inside the tea bag to become energized and move around quickly. The air molecules inside the tea bag are moving so fast that they spread up and out of the tea bag. This makes the air inside the tea bag less dense, or less tightly packed together, than the colder (more tightly packed together) air outside of the tea bag.

Learn more about Heat Transfer Science

Density is the measurement of how compact (or tightly packed together) something is. In our experiment fire and heat from the fire, causes the air molecules to spread out and become more active, therefore they are less dense.

Warmer, less dense air rises above cooler, denser air.

It is the density difference between the warm and cool air that causes the ghostly tea bag to fly. The warmer, less dense air inside the tea bag rises up above the cooler, denser air. As warmer air moves up, colder air moves in to replace it. This causes a thermal convection current to form that lifts up the tea bag. Then your ghost flies away!

The ash is VERY light and susceptible to air currents. If you wait patiently, without disturbing the air, the ash should fall right back onto the cookie sheet. Or you can catch it in your hand.

More Science Experiments

5 Days of Smart STEM Ideas for Kids

Get started in STEM with easy, engaging activities.

Flying Tea Bag: Home Science Experiment

Introduction: Flying Tea Bag: Home Science Experiment

• Science Glossary
• Science Resources

How to Make a Tea Bag Fly

 Safety 

 materials list .

• Black tea bag
• Ceramic dish

 Instruction 

 Troubleshooting 

 scientific description ,  extensions .

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Flying Tea Bag Experiment

Ever wonder if a simple tea bag could defy gravity and take flight? Get ready to be amazed! In this fun and easy experiment, we’ll turn an ordinary tea bag into a tiny hot air balloon. Watch it rise, float, and soar—all thanks to the science of heat and air! Let’s take off with fun science experiments .

Make it a fun theme for Halloween science with flying ghosts!

SAFETY NOTE: Adult Supervision and Assistance are Required. Adults should handle the lighter, and kids should stay back. Please be aware of the area around you and place this demonstration on a non-flammable surface.

Recommended Grade Level: 2-5th Grades

It’s a simple yet fascinating demonstration of hot air rising and convection currents, making it appropriate for elementary-aged kids who are starting to learn about heat, air pressure , and basic physical science concepts.

• Flat tea bags
• Black permanent markers
• Non-flammable surface

Instructions:

STEP 1. Cut the top from the tea bag, creating a straight edge.

STEP 2. Unfold the tea bag and empty the contents.

STEP 3. Draw a face towards the bottom of the tea bag.

STEP 4. Shape the tea bag into a cylinder and stand it on a non-flammable surface in a draft-free location.

STEP 5. Light the top of the tea bag on fire and watch what happens!

How Does the Flying Tea Bag Work?

Why does the ghostly tea bag float? As the tea bag burns, the air density on the inside of the tea bag changes, resulting in a lift of the final pieces.

Be aware that some tea bags lift higher and faster than others. Some may burn all the way down before blowing. The humidity in the air may also change the flight of the tea bag.

As the air molecules inside the tea bag heat up, they move around more quickly and spread out, helping to open the tea bag into its ghostly floating shape.

The heated air molecules inside the tea bag are less dense or tightly packed together than the molecules in the cold air outside the tea bag. Hopefully, the difference in density between the warm and cold air causes the tea bag to turn to ash and float upwards, but it may go very quickly!

More Halloween Science Experiments

Check out our complete list of spooky Halloween science experiments for kids!

• Creepy Gelatin Heart
• Halloween Balloons
• Fizzing Brew
• Floating Ghosts
• Puking Pumpkin
• Bubbling Slime

Printable Halloween STEM Activities Pack

150+ Pages of Halloween-Themed Materials !

This Halloween project pack is suitable for home, school, and group use for kids in grades Kindergarten through elementary but is scaleable for many ages and abilities.

What’s Included:

• 25+ Halloween theme science and STEM activities with printable sheets, instructions, and helpful information all using easy-to-source materials perfect for limited-time needs. Includes a Halloween engineering pack with fun, problem-based challenges for kids to solve!
• The skeleton activity pack includes building a skeleton challenge and a coding challenge! Try a skeleton bone bridge-building STEM challenge!
• Halloween theme brick printable activities for hands-on learning with math that is perfect for early finishers or home fun and reinforces basic math concepts.
• Bonus fun pack includes games and activities to round out your Halloween theme, such as I Spy, bingo, matching, Would You Rather cards, scavenger hunt, word search, A-Z Halloween hunt, and a coloring page.
• The Halloween STEAM Pack includes artist-inspired projects by Warhol, Lichtenstein, and more!

Subscribe to receive a free 5-Day STEM Challenge Guide

~ projects to try now ~.

Flying Tea Bag Easy Science Experiments for Kids Video

                                                  Flying Tea Bag

This video is about an easy science experiment called Flying Tea Bag Rocket. Since this experiment will be using fire , be sure you try this in a place where nothing can easily catch on fire and to have an adult with you to supervise. This video will be showing all the materials that are needed and the step by step instructions on how to do the experiment.

Materials Required: –

• A paper cup
• Aluminium foil

Procedure: –

• Take the tea bag and cut it open to get the tea out of it.
• Make sure you cut it straight and do not spill the things over.
• All you have to do is unfold it opposite way in the opposite lines to make it a diamond-shaped cylinder.
• This will help it to sit perfectly on the foil.
• In the next step, take your lighter, and light it from either both the sides or just one side.
• Watch it go down and there it goes, the flying tea bag.

When you light the top of the tea bag, the air inside this diamond-shaped cylinder gets heated. The air molecules start to move more quickly and spread out to take up more space. The air becomes less dense. It has enough force to lift the ash of the teabag. Hot air balloons use the same principle.