Whoopee cushion facts for kids
A whoopee cushion is a fun practical joke device that makes a sound like someone passing gas! It's also called a "razzberry cushion" because the sound is similar to blowing a "raspberry" (a funny noise made with your tongue and lips). People use it to surprise and make others laugh, or sometimes to cause a little bit of embarrassment!
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What is a Whoopee Cushion?
A whoopee cushion is a classic item used for pranks. It creates a loud, funny noise that sounds like someone has passed gas. This simple toy is designed to trick people when they sit down. It's a harmless way to get a laugh from friends and family.
How Does a Whoopee Cushion Work?
This clever toy is made from two sheets of rubber. These sheets are glued together around their edges. There is a small opening on one side. This opening has a special flap. Air can go in and out through this flap.
To use it, you first fill it with air. This makes the cushion puff up. Then, you secretly place it under a chair cushion. An unsuspecting person will then sit down. When they do, the air inside the cushion is squeezed out quickly. This makes the funny, loud noise!
The History of the Whoopee Cushion
Believe it or not, funny devices like the whoopee cushion have been around for a long time! The Roman Emperor Elagabalus was known for using an early version. He would use it at his dinner parties to surprise his guests.
In the Middle Ages, court Jesters used something similar. They would use a pig-bladder to make funny noises. This old trick worked much like today's whoopee cushion. It would create the same surprising sound.
The modern whoopee cushion was re-invented in the 1920s. It was created by the JEM Rubber Co. in Toronto, Canada. Workers there were experimenting with leftover rubber sheets. They were trying to make new gag items. That's how they came up with the whoopee cushion we know today!
Images for kids
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A Whoopee Cushion with a puncture.
See also
In Spanish: Cojín Whoopee para niños
