Firework Poppers!

Fireworks are dangerous y'all. 

They are loud. They involve fire... Maybe that's a part of their appeal to the masses. For others, the noise and the danger are unsettling and intrusive. Even illegal. So I came up with something else!

You will need:

Colored rice (food coloring, vinegar, white rice)
2 sheets of paper cut in half, hotdog style
4 toilet paper rolls
markers
tape
4 medium-sized balloons

*Makes 4 poppers.
*This project was originally intended for kids but my test audience (fellow 20-something) and I found them highly entertaining.
*I researched to make sure the rice/food coloring combo wasn't bad for birds. As far as I could find, they'll be fine.

Start with dying the rice. Use 2 tbsp of vinegar with 2 drops of food coloring to 3/4-1/2 c of white rice. Stir it all together and let sit for 5 minutes.

Spread the rice on foil to let it dry. I left it overnight, but I think it was ready in a few hours.

Use the markers to decorate one side of cut paper. Roll the paper around the tube and tape it shut.

Tie the end of the balloon and cut off the very top. Place it around one end of the tube.

Are you ready for the fun part? Take a small handful of rice and put into the open end of the tube. Pull back on the knotted end of the balloon slightly and FIRE! 

See all the rice in the air? It worked way better than I expected. But don't aim these towards your face. We didn't try it but I have a feeling it wouldn't go well.

We even took a video because we weren't sure a photo fully captured the effect. Unfortunately, I'm apparently the world's worst videographer and there's a lot of camera shaking and laughing involved.

Do you love real fireworks or hate them? Would you make these with your kids or for yourself? I'd love to know!

Sheila :)