Report Copyright Infringement View in OSM UK

Description

Plug holes in a pipe in this plumbing challenge and retrieve your float, but watch you don’t spring a leak!

https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/drip-detectives/

Resources

Tables
Access to water
Buckets
Towels
Large jugs or watering cans
One 4 feet x 3 feet length of drainpipe, with one end sealed
Drill, with different-sized bits suitable for boring holes in drainpipe
A selection of items for plugging holes
A selection of floats, like balls or rubber ducks
Amalgamating tape

Instructions

- Check that the bottom end of your length of drainpipe is water-tight.
- Drill some holes in your length of drainpipe. These need to be all the way up and along the pipe at intervals, and should be different sizes and, if possible, shapes. This should be done by an adult or with adult supervision.
- When you’re happy with your leaky pipe, place it sealed-end down in a bucket on the floor and put down towels. Put a float (a ball or rubber duck, perhaps) into the pipe so that it drops all the way to the bottom.
- Set out some potential hole-plugging items or materials on a table. You could use paper, rocks, plasticine, tape, balloons, toilet roll tubes and other craft materials lying around.

1. Everyone should get into small groups of no more than five people. Each group should take some time to examine the materials on the table. Explain to everyone that they need to find items to plug the holes in the pipe so that, when it’s filled up with water, they can retrieve an item stuck in the bottom.
2. One group at a time should try and plug all the holes. The person leading the activity should pour water from a jug or watering can into the pipe to see if the plugs hold. When the float rises and moves to the open end of the pipe, one person in that group should try to grab it.
3. If someone succeeded, drain the remaining water and discuss which plugs were most effective. You could also run the game again to see who can grab the float the greatest number of times. If no-one succeeded and the plugs didn’t hold, everyone should try again.
4. Demonstrate and then let everyone try to patch the pipe with amalgamating tape, which should provide a more permanent solution to leaks.

Tags

(none)

Badge Links

• Skills - Other