Reading Time: 2 minutes

Did you know that hot air balloons have been around since 1783? They were also the first means of human air transportation. 

It was on the 4th of June that the Montgolfier brothers demonstrated the first ever public display of a hot air balloon in full flight. The balloon was of course unmanned for this flight as it was just a ball made of linen and paper. It measured approximately 11 metres in diameter and weighed around 226 kilograms. 

The following September, the brothers were invited to Versailles palace to again demonstrate their incredible invention in front of King Louis XVI, in which they strapped a basket to the linen sack. Inside the basket was a rooster, a duck, and a sheep. They were the first passengers to go up, up and away… Just for the record, they landed safely!

At present, hot air balloons are high up on the list of the safest means of transport. Every year the largest hot air balloon festival takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and has over 500 balloons. Now wouldn’t that be a sight for sore eyes?

If your little ones are interested in transportation then PrimaryLeap has got you covered. Here are some educational resources to enjoy in the comfort of your own home. For the younger ones, check out our Read and Colour worksheet or this fun Hot Air Balloon Matching Game. For the older ones, there’s a Reading Comprehension or even let them do their own investigating to answer questions on this Hot Air Balloon Report Form.

Reading Time: 2 minutes