static electricity is created when certain materials rub against each other and some of the electrons are transferred from one material to the other. If a material gains electrons it will have a negative charge if a material loses electrons it will have a positive charge lighting is caused by static electricity building up in clouds you may also have experienced static electricity after jumping on a trampoline or wearing a polar fleece that has just come out of the dyer.
The fun activity was doing the experiment with the balloons making static electricity. we had to rub the the balloon on our hair or jumper than bring it close to small paper and acted as a magnet. The paper was attracting to the balloons and made them stick to the balloon and after a few minutes the paper will fall down because there is no more static charge.