We started going to a new dentist a few weeks ago and one of the prizes at the end was a HUGE balloon. They’ve lasted a while. My kids love balloons and ask to play with them frequently. Here are some simple ideas for playing with balloons.
Soccer
Pretend like the balloon is a soccer ball and kick it gently back and forth. Because the balloon is so light, you just need a gentle kick. It can be a pretty active game depending on how large your space is, since the balloon goes every which way and you’ll have to track it down.
Tennis
Pretend the balloon is a tennis ball and bat it back and forth using tennis or badminton rackets. If you don’t have any handy, you can make your own. All you need is two paper plates, something for a handle (like popsicle sticks or chopsticks) and duct tape. Then start the game.
I used duct tape, paper plates and chopsticks to make these simple rackets.
Balance
My son has named this one The Tricky Game. Using one homemade tennis racket or your hand, try to balance the balloon and walk around. Challenge yourself to see how long you can hold up a balloon. You can vary the walking speed or make things more challenging by setting up cones to move around. Use a timer to see how long you can do it.
Don’t Touch the Ground
Try to keep the balloon from touching the ground by continually batting it back and forth. Pretend the ground is like lava :-) See how many times you can bat it back and forth before it touches the ground. It’s also a great way to practice counting.
Twirl it
Spin the balloon in your hand by flicking both wrists at the same time and then let it go. It makes the balloon swirl and twirl quickly. It’s really neat to watch.
Balloon Rocket
All you need is a piece of string/yarn, a straw, some tape and a little room. You can tape the straw to the balloon, put the straw through the string, then blow up the balloon. Let the balloon go and see how far across the room it will go!
Next time your kids have a lot of energy that they need to get out, try playing with a balloon. It can get the kids moving and is super easy to set up.
The Social Connection
These movement games with balloons require cooperation and working together. The balloon rocket is an especially tricky one, encouraging kids to practice patience and problem solving. Finally, you can encourage creative play by decorating the paper plates for balloon tennis.
