Have you ever seen A Christmas Story? If so, you probably remember the famous scene where Ralphie and his friends triple-dog dare their buddy, Flick, to stick his tongue to a flagpole.
Since it was winter and very cold out, the flagpole was frozen and Flick’s tongue got stuck! The poor kid had to wait for the fire department to come and rescue him.
You may have WONDERed if this could really happen in real life. In fact, it can and does happen all the time. Apparently there is no shortage of kids willing to triple-dog dare their friends to try what they see in the movies. Take it from us, though, this is something that CAN happen and WILL happen, so don’t try it yourselves, Wonder Friends!
WHY it happens is just a matter of science. Since it sits inside your warm mouth all the time, your tongue is naturally coated with moisture. That moisture will quickly freeze if the temperature drops below 32º F.
So why doesn’t your tongue freeze when you eat something cold, like ice cream? Your body keeps the tongue from freezing by pumping warm blood to your tongue. When you eat ice cream, for example, your body continually warms the tongue from the inside out.
Why doesn’t this work if you lick a flagpole then? The reason your tongue sticks to a flagpole is the thermal conductivity of metal. Metals conduct heat extremely well. In fact, metal conducts heat about 400 times better than your tongue.
When your tongue freezes to a metal flagpole, the metal robs your tongue of heat much faster than it can be replaced by your body. When you add in the fact that your tongue has all sorts of grooves and crevices where moisture hides, it’s easy to see why it can freeze so quickly and get stuck so solidly to a metal flagpole — or any other type of very cold metal.
If you ever get your tongue — or any exposed skin — frozen solid to a flagpole or any other type of metal, just relax and don’t panic. Don’t try to pull it off right away, as you’ll leave a nice coating of skin on the metal…and that won’t feel very good at all!
Instead, just get help from someone as quickly as possible. Pouring warm water on and around your skin and the metal should heat things up, so that you can thaw your skin enough to separate it from the metal without permanent injury.
(24 votes, avg. 3.83 out of 5) 
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I think you guys should do some thing on Josh Hutcherson.
Thanks for the great idea, Layla! We think WONDERing about actors and actresses would be fun!
Hey Wonderopolis, that was cool! I think I’d never even TRY to do something so scary… Whew!!
Yikes, we’re glad to hear it, WonderGirl11! We wouldn’t want you to get stuck! Thanks for WONDERing about things that make you say “brrrr!” today!
If you pull your tongue off the pole right away, what possible damage could occur?
We don’t think it would be a fun experience, Wonder Friends in Mrs. K’s class! The heat from your tongue wouldn’t be enough to get away from that very cold, metal pole! You might end up with a very sore tongue if you tried to pull away!
Is tomorrow’s wonder about the smallest artwork or finger puppets?
Ooohhh you’re so very close! We can’t wait to Wonder with all our Friends in Mrs. K’s class about miniature things!
I think today’s wonder was cool I have never seen a Christmas Story. I think tomorrow’s wonder will be about ants or trampolines.
Hey there, Wonder Friend Garrett! We are glad you enjoyed today’s Wonder; maybe you and your family can watch the movie, A Christmas Story, during the holidays. It will certainly make you laugh!
Thanks for sharing your guess for tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day®– it’s going to be a miniature Wonder!
It was really cool that when you eat ice cream it doesn’t make your tongue frozen but when your tongue is out of your body it freezes.
We’re so glad you learned about the science behind freezing today, Wonder Friend Paige M! It’s fun to Wonder with great Friends, just like you!
Today’s wonder made me think of the time I watched a very young girl get her tongue stuck to a flagpole.
I think tomorrow’s wonder will be pillow pet.
Hey there, Wonder Friend Kat! We sure hope that little girl was okay… we bet you learned a lesson after seeing that! We can’t wait to Wonder with you tomorrow! See you soon!
Can the 22nd be about money?
Hi there, Wonder Friend Bob! We don’t know what the Wonder on December 22nd will be, but we can’t wait to see! In the meantime, you might enjoy this Wonder from the past: Wonder #158– How is a $1 Bill Made? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-is-a-one-dollar-bill-made/
Is tomorrow’s wonder about the bouncy ball?
Oooh what a great guess! Our Wonder Friends in Mrs. H’s Class will enjoy this Wonder in the meantime… Wonder #730– What Makes a Ball Super? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-makes-a-ball-super/
We thought today’s wonder was a little bit sticky. Mrs. Ski really hopes there are no practical jokes on her about this one tomorrow. Gross. Keep your tongues in your mouths!
We think that tomorrow’s wonder will be about finger puppets, pillow pets, contact lenses, mice, smallest cameras, ipods, zhu zhu pets, strings off of your shoes, aglets, or miniature things.
We hope none of our Wonder Friends get stuck this season… that would hurt!
It’s so much fun to Wonder with Mrs. Ski’s AM Class, especially when you share your guesses for tomorrow’s miniature Wonder! We can’t wait!
Mrs. Hensel’s 1st graders have had their tongues stuck to popsicles and ice cubes, but never flag poles.
Thanks for sharing your chilly comment with us, Wonder Friends in Mrs. Hensel’s 1st grade! We don’t think that having a tongue frozen to a pole would be very fun, so we will keep our tongues inside! Especially when it’s chilly outside!
Hi I think tomorrow’s WONDER will be about slinkys.
What a great guess, Laserdudle! We can’t wait to find out what it will be!
What do you think WONDEROPOLIS friends?
We Wonder if you have ever tested it out, Laserdudle? We hope not… or you might have a sore tongue!
Your tongue would stick I’ve done it.
Yikes, we’re glad you’re okay, Jusin! Thanks for sharing your comment with us today!
We think tomorrow’s WONDER will be about elves.
Oooh another SUPER guess from our fifth grade Wonder Friends in Mrs. Walker’s class! We sure hope you stop by Wonderopolis tomorrow to find out if you’re right!
I don’t think you can get your tongue stuck to a flagpole.
We Wonder if our Friend Jusin agrees, Grace W! If it’s cold enough outside, it’s possible! You can find out how in today’s Wonder!
Hi wonderopolis! My friend actually dared me to stick my tongue on a flagpole. I abhorred it. I learned that metal is a good conductor and your tongue is not. Would your tongues stick to a insulator like plastic?
Thanks
Avneesh
Hi Wonderopolis!
Some cool things you said that I really liked are, medal conducts heat about 400 times better than your tongue. Also I like the fact that you gave the advice to not panic if you get your tongue stuck on a flag pole!
Some questions I have are, have a hodgepodge of kids stuck their tongue on a flagpole at once? Also, What is the longest amount of time possible your tongue could be stuck on a flagpole?
Thank you for some wonderful information!
Sidney
Oh boy, we’re so happy our Wonder Friends Avneesh and Sidney are here! We sure hope you’re okay after that dare, Avneesh! We’re so glad you’re both WONDERing about conductors of heat with us today! We bet there are lots of people who have tried sticking their tongues on a flagpole over the years, Sidney. We wouldn’t recommend it!
That’s kind of scary… But anyways can you guys make an article called is Santa real?
Thanks! Peace out home dogs – Haley and Gabbie
Hi there, Wonder Friends Haley and Gabbie! We think you have a great idea for a Wonder, thanks for sharing it! We are glad you’re WONDERing with us today, too! Have you ever had a candy cane around this time of year? We Wonder if you know how they got their shape…?
Wonder #448– How Did Candy Canes Get Their Shape? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-did-candy-canes-get-their-shape/
I have a fun memory about sticking my tongue to a fence but I lied about it to my teacher in kindergaten.
Oh boy, we sure are glad you’re okay, Layla! We hope you’ve been telling the truth, too! We LOVE it when our Wonder Friends are honest!
Thanks for WONDERing with us today! See you soon!
I have always thought that you could stick your tongue to a pole.
We don’t recommend it, Davey! When it gets cold outside, the pole will be extra cold and your tongue could get stuck. Check out today’s Wonder for more information about how it works!
It’s never happened to me! I think tomorrow’s wonder will be about snow.
We hope your tongue stays away from frozen poles, Antonio! We can’t wait to find out what tomorrow’s Wonder will be!
It does happen! I have done it so many times! It’s so much fun. I love doing it. I think tomorrow’s WONDER will be about elves since it’s close to Christmas. 12 days!
I also think you should make a wonder about Bands. Like Big Time Rush <3, One Direction <3, The Beatles <3, I would LOVE that WONDER.
~WONDERfriend Gina.
We sure hope you’re not putting your tongue through pain, Gina M! We are glad you’re WONDERing with us today… it’s so exciting to guess tomorrow’s Wonder will be, too!
We are very excited for the holidays so we can celebrate with our families and friends! Also, thanks for suggesting a musical Wonder, Gina M! We bet all those bands are WONDERful!
Hey
Wonderopolis sorry I haven’t commented in a while I have been so busy! But I have been reading them. Today’s wonder reminds me when I get my tounge stuck on a popsicle it hapens almost everytime I eat one, what bad luck I have right? I loved today’s wonder!
I think tomorrow’s wonder will be about a marble.
Don’t worry, Wondergirl101! We are glad you’re back now! We are glad that you learned about the science behind why our tongues stick to cold things so easily! Thanks for stopping by today!
Tongues can stick to frozen dry ice too.
Great point, Kitty! Thanks for sharing a new piece of information with us today! Have a SUPER day!
Well I stuck me tounge to a bus window when I was little so my tongue still hurts!
Oh no, Mackenzie! We hope your tongue is okay, and we’re glad that you shared your comment with us! Have a WONDERful day, Mackenzie!
Dear wonderopolis,
I have not tried to stick my tongue to a pole but I could imagine that it would hurt! In science class we are learning about metal conductors. Does it take a long time to get it unstuck? I think it is very cool that your blood pumping keeps you warm. If something was 33 degrees could your tongue get stuck to it?
Stephanie Smith
How cool that you’re learning about metal conductors, Stephanie! It’s a great connection to today’s Wonder! A tongue can be removed from a frozen pole once the temperature of the tongue is higher than that of the pole. By pouring warm water on the pole and the tongue, the extremely low temperature of the pole will increase, which means you can have your tongue back!
My guess is: Art on a grain of rice…
What a SUPER guess, Mrs. Moukhliss! We certainly hope you and your Wonder students will join us tomorrow to find out if you’re correct!
We thought today’s wonder was freeze-tastic (Gabby). It’s stuck in our brains for the day. We really hope Tanner doesn’t try this tonight.
We think tomorrow’s wonder will be about legos, ants, baby praying mantises (ours just hatched), rolie polies, sponges that expand in water to make cool toys out of teeny tiny capsules, marbles, or worms. Really? Worms. Ugh.
We hope no one in Mrs. Ski’s PM Class (or AM class, either) gets stuck to a frozen pole! YOWZA, that would hurt! We LOVE all your awesome ideas for tomorrow’s mini Wonder… we think you’re on to something… but it’s not worms!
Interesting and creepy at the same time.
We hope you keep your tongue away from a frozen pole, Jack! We’re glad you found today’s Wonder interesting– it was cool to learn something new with you!
I didn’t know that could happen.
We hope it doesn’t happen to you, Wonder Friend Kory! Thanks for sharing your comment with us!
I really wonder that. My tongue never got stuck on a flagpole.
We’re glad to clear up your WONDERing, Kultar! We hope your tongue stays away from those frozen flagpoles!
Hi Wonderopolis today’s wonder was a good reminder for kids to not put their tongue on a frozen flagpole. But Mrs.Thiessen thinks that tomorrow’s wonder will be about a remote control car.
From Devin
We agree, Devin! We think that our tongues would be sore after running into a frozen flagpole! We hope to see you tomorrow for more WONDERing!
Hello Wonderopolis, I’m in Mrs. Caplin’s 5th grade class. I didn’t know that thermal was a word. Now I know that thermal is a synonym for warm and hot. How hot would the water be, to be able to get your tongue unstuck? When I find out this answer I would like to tell this to my Grandpa. I have watched the movie A Christmas story before. I predict tomorrow’s Wonder will be about elves. I predict this because elves are usually tiny, it’s fun trying to find them the next morning, and when they cause trouble it’s is kind of funny.
We’re glad you learned a new word today, Simba! We wouldn’t want to burn your tongue, so warm water (not as hot as a cup of tea!) should do the trick! We are glad that you and your Grandpa are WONDERing together! How cool! We can’t wait to hang out again while we Wonder tomorrow! See you then!
That happened to me
We sure hope you’re okay, Sam!!
Hi you guys. I just wanted to say how awesome you are. I have one question though. Why does it not happen when you put a frozen metal spoon in your mouth?
Hi Wonder Friend! We’re glad you’ve been enjoying your time at Wonderopolis! We learned that the temperature in your mouth is high, and when you put a spoon in your mouth, the heat of your mouth and tongue transfer over to the frozen spoon!
WONDERific! I thought it was just a myith.
Sincerely Danielle
How cool- you learned something new, Danielle! No need to try it, your poor tongue will be sore!
And also I’m excited to learn about pandas, or dolphins so there is a wonder!
Awesome, Danielle! We Wonder if you have checked out our past Wonder… Wonder #742– How Do You Train A Dolphin? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-do-you-train-a-dolphin/
I predict the next wonder will be what is the fastest type of sled.
SUPER guess, Wonder Friend H! We think you’ll enjoy this Wonder from exactly one year ago… Wonder #437– How Are Sleds and Sleighs Different?http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-are-sleds-and-sleighs-different/
Hello Wonderopolis. My name is John. It’s nice to comment again. I never knew that the tongue’s moisture had something to do with the kind of temperature. I learned a few new words from wonder like thermal and conductivity. This knowledge will help my writing and thinking. I have a quick question for you. How is the mouth warmer than cold weather? I think tomorrow’s wonder is about Gogo’s crazy bones.
Hey John! We’re so glad to hear that you’ve learned some new vocabulary words– they will be a great addition to your writing and thinking! We’ve got a Wonder that might help you think about the temperatures inside and outside your body: Wonder #471 Why Do You See Your Breath When It’s Cold? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-do-you-see-your-breath-when-it%E2%80%99s-cold/
Hi Sam that’s too bad that a frozen spoon got stuck on your tongue. I hope it feels better.
Ps. I’m glad you told me because I was just about to try it for myself!
Hey there Wonder Friend H! We’re glad that Sam shared that story… we don’t want you to get stuck, too!
I never knew that metal conducts heat about 400 times better than your tongue.
Why would exsposed skin freeze to a flagpole also?
I already had background knowledge that if you pull your tongue of the pole when it’s frozen you will leave a coating of skin.
I think tomorrow’s wonder is about bouncy balls because some are small but they are fun.
Hey Wonder Friend Hockey2399! Exposed skin cold stick to a frozen piece of metal (like a flagpole) if there is any moisture on the surface. That’s why it’s so important to bundle up in cold weather. For example, it might not be fun, but if you play indoor sports and are sweaty, it’s even more important to bundle up before heading out into the cold weather! That way, your body temperature will stay the same and you won’t run the risk of getting a cold!
HI! Trust me its happened and it was painful. I think that the next wonder is about bubbles! YAY POP POP!!
Yikes, we sure hope you’re okay Cherry! We are glad you’ve been thinking of the next Wonder, too! Check out Wonder #57 — Why Do Bubbles Float? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-do-bubbles-float/
“A Christmas Story” is my & my dad’s favorite movie! We always laugh at “I triple-dog-dare you!” & “Flick? Flick who?” In the name of the leg lamp, this is an awesome wonder!
Thanks so much for your SUPER (and very funny) comment, Wonder Friend Hailey! That movie really makes us chuckle, no matter how many times we’ve seen it! We hope you have a SUPER day… and you drink your Ovaltine!
That happened to my sister we used water to get it off.
Wow, thanks for sharing your story, Wonder Friend M! We sure hope your sister is A-okay! Phew!
Hey WONDEROPOLIS!-
Always a Pleasure to read these WONDERS It makes my day! 
Also, I am reading “The Watsons Go To Birmingham” And in the book, right at the beginning, one of the characters gets his lips stuck to a car mirror!! 
Thanks for all of your WONDERful WONDERS!
I LOVE The Christmas Story It’s one of the best movies ever I watch it every year around this time and I always remember the line “It’ll shoot your eye out!!”
-Smiles
Wohoo, we’re glad this Wonder was right up your alley, Smiles! We appreciate your super comment! Thanks for sharing your favorite memories from A Christmas Story! We hope you have a WONDERful day!
Why did my tongue not stick to a pole when I put it on a pole and the temperature was 04 degrees Fahrenheit?
Great question, Sean! We think you’re one lucky duck– we wouldn’t want your tongue to get stuck to a frozen flagpole! We Wonder if it was sunny outside… that could have affected the temperature outside and maybe even the temperature of the flagpole!
OHHHH YES YOUR TONGE DOES STICK I HAVE DONE IT I AGREE WITH LASERDUDE!!!!!!!!
Phew, we’re glad you’re okay, Jingle Bells! Thanks for letting us know that you agree with another Wonder Friend!
Yesterday my dog was chasing a squirrel up a frozen flagpole and stuck his tongue out to try to lick the squirrel and uh oh! He stuck his tongue to the flagpole! We needed a hair dryer to melt the ice and he was whimpering like a baby! And I bet he will never do it again!!!
Oh boy, we sure hope your dog is okay, Ella! We’re glad he learned his lesson, but we hope he has stopped whimpering! Thanks for WONDERing with us!
I have seen the Christmas Story it’s funny. 2 years ago I stuck my tongue on a pole not on a flag pole put anyway I stuck my tonuge on a pole and I couldn’t get it unstuck until I did my tounge was bleeding a little only. Then got a sore it took off after a day or two but it didn’t hurt that much and it was funny and I still laugh about it today. I didn’t think it could really happen. TRUE STORY NOT LYING. For reals.
Yowza, we sure are glad to hear that you’re okay, Wonder Friend! That sounds like a painful experience– we’re glad you shared that story with us so we can all make sure we don’t try that on our own! Happy New Year!
If you tried to rip your tongue off a pole would the skin really come off too?
YIKES, that sounds painful, Reagan! We bet there might be a little of pain involved, but that’s why it’s not a great idea to stick your tongue on a frozen pole! Thanks for sharing your comment, Reagan! We are glad to have a great Wonder Friend like you!
I’m doing a report on a book called The Watsons go to Birmingham, and a character named Byron, got his tongue stuck to a glass car mirror. I was wondering how this happened?
YIKES, poor Byron must have been very curious! It sounds like a great book to read, too! We hope this Wonder helps with your report, Jackie, and as you continue to read the book, you might find how it happened!