Kids don't think like that. When they see balloons tied to an elephant making the elephant float, they're not being taught that balloons are so powerful that they can make an elephant fly.

They're being taught "Oh, balloons float, and more balloons=more float"


Terry Pratchett has a neat name for it, lies-to-children. It's when you simplify a concept so that it's not really true, but it communicates the point, so when they're older than can learn the REAL reason.

Example:

Teacher: "Kids, I know the world SEEMS like it's flat, but actually it's round! It's just really big!"

Kids: "No way, that's crazy. That doesn't make any sense."

Teacher: "Sure it does, picture an ant walking on giant beach ball, he doesn't even realize he's on a ball!"

Kids: "Ohhhhh"


---Years later---

Teacher: "Yeah the world isn't really round. It's Round-ISH, but not round at all. Oblate Spheroid is the term."

Kids: "OK! Because I've internalized the fact that the world isn't flat, this is easier for me to understand!"




An even better example is how tides work. I won't go into it, but suffice to say it's a lot more complicated than they taught in 5th grade science class.