Fingerprint Balloons
Glue five bottle caps (open ends up) in a semicircle on a piece of heavy cardboard and fill each cap with a different color of tempera paint. Have each child in turn dip all five fingers of one hand into the paint in the bottle caps and then press them on a sheet of white construction paper to make prints. When the paint has dried, let the children draw lines down from their fingerprints, turning them into balloons with strings.
Printing With Balloons
Pour three or four different colors of tempera paint into separate aluminum pie tins. Partially blow up a small balloon that matches each paint color. Then have the children dip the balloons into the matching colored paints and press them on sheets of white construction paper to create balloon prints.
Variation: Use just one color of paint and matching colored balloons.
Balloon Puppets
For each child, blow up a balloon until it is about the size of a large cantaloupe. Tie several strands of curled ribbon around the knot and attach a loop of ribbon large enough to slip over the child's hand. Then let the children make faces on their balloons by sticking on gummed reinforcement circles. When they have finished, let them wear their balloon puppets on their wrists.
Jet Balloons
While blowing up balloons, let a few of them go before tying them closed and watch them fly around the room. Have the children try to guess why this happens. What makes the balloons go? How far will they go before they stop? How can you make them go again?
Magic Balloons
Blow up several balloons. Let the children rub the balloons on their clothes or their hair and place them on a wall. Have the children try guessing what causes the balloons to stay up (static electricity).
Singing Balloons
Blow up a balloon and demonstrate how it "sings" by stretching the opening as you let out the air. Ask the children to tell you whether the air is coming out quickly or slowly. Experiment with different rates of escaping air. Let the children feel the air escaping by placing their hands over the balloon opening.
Balloon Lotto
Make a balloon lotto game by dividing a piece of heavy white paper into six sections and drawing a different colored balloon in each square. Cut matching colored squares out of construction paper. To play the game, have the children take turns placing the construction paper squares on top of the matching colored balloons.
Balloon Fish
Partially blow up ten small balloons. Place them in a dishpan full of water. Set the pan on the floor and let the children take turns fishing for balloon fish with a wire food strainer. Help each child count his or her catch before putting the fish back in the pan.
Balloon Jump
Blow up balloons and tie them with long strings. Then hang the balloons from the ceiling at a height that will tempt the children to stretch, jump and bat the balloons around.
Popping Balloons
Let the children help you pretend to blow up balloons and fill the room with them. Then have them pretend to tape sharp pins on their knees and elbows so that they can "pop" the balloons. Encourage them to reach their knees and elbows way up high and way down low until all of the balloons have popped.
Balloon in the Air
Stand in a group with the children and tap up a balloon. (Use two or three balloons for a large group.) Have the child closest to where the balloon starts to come down tap it up again with his or her hand. The object of the game is to see how long the group can keep the balloon in the air.
Creative Movement Fun
Let the children watch you blow up a balloon and then slowly deflate it. Have them pretend that they are limp balloons, expanding as they breathe air in and whistling as they let air out. Let the children spring and dash around like balloons that have been inflated and released. Or let them pretend to be inflated balloons floating lazily about the room while gently bumping into things.
Bounce the Balloons
Sung to : "The Mulberry Bush"
This is the way we
Bounce the balloons,
Bounce the balloons,
Bounce the balloons.
This is the way we
Bounce the balloons,
Gently in the air.
Balloon Song
Sung to : "Ten Little Indians"
One little, two little,
Three little balloons,
Four little, five little,
Six little balloons,
Seven little, eight little,
Nine little balloons,
Floating up so high.
Red Balloons
Sung to : "Frere Jacques"
Red balloons, red balloons,
Floating up, floating up.
Never let them touch the ground,
Never let them touch the ground.
Keep them up, keep them up.
Repeat, letting the children suggest other balloon colors.
My Balloon
Sung to : "Pop! Goes the Weasel!"
Here I have a big balloon,
Watch me while I blow,
Small at first, then bigger,
(Make circles with thumbs and fingers.)
Watch it grow and grow.
(Make bigger and bigger circles with arms.)
Do you think it's big enough?
Maybe I should stop.
For if I blow much longer,
My balloon will pop!
Balloon Treats
Write each child's name on a balloon and tie it to the back of his or her chair before snacktime. For balloon snacks, serve such foods as round crackers, carrot slices, banana slices, orange slices, egg slices, or cucumber slices.