Start with equal weights
Put the same weight the same distance from the center on each side. The seesaw stays level.
Balance Playground
A little weight. A little distance. Find a way to make the seesaw balance.
Grades 3–5 · Physics
Start near, then move farther
Select the 1 kg weight on the right. Move it to position 4 and watch the seesaw.
Left side tips down
Each number counts equal spaces from the center. Tilt shows direction, not a measured angle.
Left side tips down. Add a weight on the other side, or move a weight to change its turning effect.
1. Choose a weight
Add as many as the board can hold.
2. Choose a position
Tap an existing weight to select it, or choose a new weight.
← Left side
Right side →
Our seesaw has a fixed center and a weightless board. Locked weights stay in place during puzzles.
Related resources
Related cheat sheets
Study as flashcards
Related labs
Related simulations
Learn with Balance Playground
Balance Playground helps elementary students explore how weight and distance work together on a seesaw. Place weights on either side of the pivot, move them between equal spaces, and predict which side will tip. A lighter weight can balance a heavier one when it sits farther from the center. Guided goals encourage children to compare arrangements, explain the turning effect of each weight, and test more than one solution to the same balance puzzle.
What to look for
Distance makes a difference
Move one weight farther from the center. Its side has a stronger turning effect, even though the weight is the same.
Try different weights
A 2 kg weight two spaces from the center can balance a 1 kg weight four spaces away on the other side.
For teachers and curious learners
Ask students to predict which side will go down, try their prediction, and describe what changed. Start with Learn, then use Practice or Challenge when they are ready. Each puzzle can have more than one solution.
The spaces are equal distances from a fixed center support, called a pivot. A weight's turning effect depends on its mass multiplied by its distance from the pivot. The seesaw balances when the total turning effect is equal on both sides.
This is a simplified model with a weightless beam and no friction. The tilt shows which side has the greater turning effect. It does not measure a real seesaw's angle or speed.
Continue with the Center of Mass and Balance Lab for measurements, or the Balance Scale for comparing heavier and lighter objects.