How a Cheeky Balloon Caterpillar is Helping Kids Fall in Love with Veggies
Can play and science help kids enjoy fruits and vegetables? Dr. Chloe Lim is betting on it and judging by the giggles, gasps, and sticky-fingered smiles at her new Foodie Fun Play! show, she’s onto something.
As part of National Science Week 2025, Chloe, scientist, balloon artist, and founder of Twistyfic, is teaming up with Nutrition Australia and the University of Canberra to turn healthy eating into a full-blown interactive adventure. Her mission? To make fruit and veggies fun, familiar, and pressure-free for children aged three to eight.
The result is a 30-minute science storytelling performance featuring colourful balloon characters, hands-on food art, and one very cheeky star: Bob the Caterpillar.
A Caterpillar with a Mission
Bob isn’t your average balloon animal. He’s big, green, and hungry, very hungry. But unlike Eric Carle’s literary caterpillar cousin, Bob’s diet is pure science-backed nutrition.
Throughout the show, children are invited to “feed” Bob a rainbow of balloon fruits and vegetables. Each food introduces a quick, kid-friendly fact about how it helps our bodies, carrots for our eyes, capsicum for our skin, broccoli for our bones.
“Feeding Bob becomes this irresistible game,” Chloe laughs. “The kids keep their hands up the whole time, desperate for a turn. It’s the perfect way to get them talking about food without any pressure to eat it.”
But Bob’s appetite has a punchline. After a few too many “servings,” he develops a tummy ache, cue the fart noises, balloon “poo” on a fishing line, and a surprise reveal about fibre. The kids howl with laughter, but they’re also learning that fruits and veggies keep our digestive systems healthy.
From Lab Coats to Balloon Pumps
If this all sounds wildly creative for a scientist, that’s because Chloe’s career path is anything but conventional. With a PhD in medical science and more than 14 years in epigenetics research, she has spent much of her professional life in labs and as a regulatory scientist at the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
But in 2019, she launched Giggly Wiggly Balloons, turning her love for balloon artistry into a thriving business. Her skills even took her to national TV as a finalist on Channel 7’s Blow Up.
Through her science education brand Twistyfic, Chloe found a way to merge these worlds, using balloons as both a creative tool and a teaching aid. Her previous shows, like the Twisty Science Show, brought chemistry and physics to life. Foodie Fun Play! is her first foray into nutrition education.
“I wanted this to be more than just a fun activity,” she explains. “It had to be evidence-based, aligned with the science of nutrition and early learning. That’s why I partnered with an associate professor from the University of Canberra and with Nutrition Australia from day one.”
The Science Behind the Fun
While Foodie Fun Play! is filled with colour, jokes, and hands-on play, every moment is grounded in research.
One of the core messages? Kids may need to try a new food eight to fifteen times before they develop a taste for it. “I tell them: ‘Try it ten times, that’s two hands, ten fingers,’” Chloe says. “It makes the concept visual and easy to remember.”
She also uses “eat the rainbow” as a central theme, explaining that different coloured fruits and vegetables contain different nutrients. At the end of the show, children help assemble a giant plate of balloon foods, matching colours to vitamins like A, C, and K.
“This isn’t an exam,” Chloe smiles. “It’s about encouraging curiosity. If a child leaves thinking, ‘Maybe I’ll try that green thing next time,’ that’s a win.”
A Two-Part Experience
The show doesn’t end when Bob’s had his fill. After the performance, families move to two interactive stations:
Balloon Veggie Friends Station – Children choose from a “menu” of balloon fruits and vegetables, then decorate them with stickers for eyes, noses, and hands.
Tasting & Food Art Station – With support from Nutrition Australia, kids are given a plate of cut-up fruits and veggies to turn into art. They can eat their creations on the spot, take them home, or simply enjoy the tactile, sensory experience.
“It’s all no-pressure,” Chloe explains. “If they just want to make a funny face out of cucumber slices and not eat it, that’s fine. We’re building positive associations with these foods.”
Measuring the Impact
Foodie Fun Play! isn’t just about smiles, it’s also a pilot project with a built-in evaluation process. Families are asked to complete surveys before and after the show, noting their children’s food preferences and any challenges they face at mealtimes.
Chloe plans to follow up a week later to see if any habits have shifted, though she acknowledges post-event response rates are usually lower.
“The goal is to eventually turn this into a research project,” she says. “If we can demonstrate a measurable impact, we can take this into more schools and early learning centres, and even adapt it for older children.”
Selling Out in Five Days
If ticket sales are any indication, parents are hungry for this kind of program. The Foodie Fun Play! National Science Week shows sold out in just five days.
“Granted, they were free,” Chloe admits, “but it still shows there’s a real appetite for fun, practical ways to teach kids about healthy eating.”
She hopes to bring the show to more early childhood centres and primary schools after Science Week. The intimate, interactive nature of the performance works best with groups of 30–40 children, though Chloe can adapt for larger audiences.
More Than Just a Show
What makes Foodie Fun Play! stand out is how it layers creativity over credible science. It’s not about preaching or telling children what they “should” eat, it’s about inviting them to explore, laugh, and discover for themselves.
“I’ve read the research, I’ve looked at the educational pedagogies, and I’ve built the show around what works,” Chloe says. “But at the heart of it, I just want kids to have fun with food.”
And for Chloe, that fun has a purpose. As she packs up balloons and plates after each show, she knows she’s planting seeds, of knowledge, curiosity, and maybe even a newfound love for broccoli.
Keep the learning alive
National Science Week is all about bringing science to life in ways that inspire and engage. Foodie Fun Play! doesn’t just tick that box, it wraps it in balloons, serves it with a side of giggles, and sends kids home with both a veggie friend and a story to tell.
If you missed it, encourage your local child or community centre to book in a show, even as Science Week comes to an end, the learning doesn’t have to! You can find out more at https://gigglywiggly.com.au/
Because sometimes, the best way to teach children the science of healthy eating is to hand them a balloon caterpillar and let them feed it grapes until it farts.
