Balloon - Page 5 of 6

Air-Power Cup Delivery

Steps:

Blow up a balloon and tie it closed.
Cut a piece of string about two feet long.
Tape one end of the string to the balloon.
Tape the other end of the string to the bottom of a paper cup.
Place five beans inside the cup for weight.
Set the cup on a smooth floor.
Give your child a paper plate to use as a fan.
Challenge your child to fan the balloon with the plate.
They must move the balloon and cup to a target.
Reach the finish line without the cup tipping over!

Safety Tip:
Always supervise your child during play. Beans and broken balloons are choking hazards. Keep uninflated balloons away from children.

Floating Balloon Paddle Tap

Steps:

Blow up a balloon and tie yarn to the end.
Use masking tape to stick the yarn to a door.
Let the balloon hang low enough for your child to reach.
Give them a paper plate to hold like a paddle.
Ask them to tap the balloon with the plate.
See how many times they can hit it in a row.

Safety Tip:
Always supervise children with balloons. Broken balloon pieces are a serious choking hazard. Ensure the yarn is not long enough to wrap around the neck.

Balloon Barrier Stick Push

Steps:

Adult Prep: Cut a sturdy rectangle from the cardboard. Carefully cut one small hole (just big enough for a pom-pom) in the center.
Adult Prep: Cut the knot end off the balloon. Stretch the remaining balloon piece tightly over the hole, creating a taut, resistant membrane. Secure the balloon edges underneath the cardboard using masking tape.
Place the pom-poms and craft sticks in the container. Ask your child to pick up one pom-pom using a neat pincer grasp (thumb and pointer finger).
Load the pom-pom onto the tip of the craft stick by pushing the stick gently through the center of the pom-pom.
The child holds the cardboard base firmly steady with their helper hand. This provides stability for the working hand.
Aim the pom-pom toward the center of the taut balloon barrier. Use a strong, controlled push to drive the stick and pom-pom through the resistant membrane.
Repeat this push-and-poke action until all the prepared pom-poms have successfully popped through the barrier.

Safety Tip:
Constant and direct adult supervision is required. Pom-poms are small objects and pose a significant choking hazard for children who still place items in their mouths. Adults must handle the scissors for preparation.

Pom-Pom Popper Target Game

A preschooler playing the pom-pom popper game, demonstrating bilateral hand use and aiming toward a bucket target. | Close-up on child's hands loading a pom-pom into a paper cup launcher, highlighting fine motor control and visual motor skills.

Steps:

Adult Step: Use scissors to cut the bottom out of the paper cup. Cut the knot end off the balloon, then stretch the balloon tightly over the open bottom of the cup and secure it.”
“Place a bucket, basket, or cardboard box about five feet away to act as your target.”
“Show your child how to load a pom-pom into the top (uncovered) end of the cup launcher.”
“Have your child hold the cup firmly with one hand, pull the balloon knot back with the other hand, aim at the target, and release the knot to launch the pom-pom!”
“Count how many pom-poms land inside the target for some added sequencing practice.

Safety Tip:
Adult supervision is needed, especially during setup involving scissors. If the balloon breaks, immediately collect all pieces as broken balloons are a significant choking risk.

Tactile Bowl

Blow up the balloon 1/4 way.

You may tie a knot or tape the tip of the balloon to hold the air in.

Have the child cut the yarn into long strips.

In a bowl, help the child mix the glue and water together until you get a viscid mixture.

Ask the child to dip the strips of yarn in the glue mixture and then use it to wrap around the balloon, starting from bottom to top (the child might need help with the bottom part where the yarn should be rolled tightly).

Encourage the child to use a pincer grasp (tip grasp) to take the yarn pieces out of the mixture.

Continue until the balloon is 3/4 covered in yarn. Allow to dry, then pop the balloon and take it out.

To make the bowl colorful, use different colors of yarn.