Life hack: fill balloons without using helium

This is an old trick taken straight out of high School science class that you can now use to decorate during birthday season. Using just ordinary vinegar and bicarbonate soda you can forgo using expensive helium. Not only is this a great idea for table decorations is also a fun science experiment to do with your grandchildren.

Materials: 

• Bicarbonate soda
• White vinegar
• 375 ml plastic bottle
• balloons
• 2 funnels

Method:

• Pour the vinegar into the plastic bottle using the funnel so that the vinegar fills up approximately a third of the bottle
• Fill approximately a third to a half of the balloon (depending on the size) with bicarbonate soda using the second (dry) funnel.
• Stretch the opening of the balloon so that it covers the top of the bottle (try not to let any of the bicarbonate soda fall out of the balloon yet).
• Pinch the tip of the balloon and lift it up so the bicarbonate soda falls into the bottle and mixes with the vinegar.
• Watch as the reaction occurs and fills the balloon with gas.

What do you think? Would you give this life hack a try?