Have you run out of activity ideas for the kids on weekends or school holidays? Would you rather your kids spend less time watching Frozen and more time learning a new skill? Well I have a great low cost idea that the family can do together. Balloon animals or balloon twisting, whatever you call it, is a great way for the family to spend time together.
I’ve been making balloon animals for friends and family for years now. It started one afternoon when I was on uni break because, simply, I was bored. I went down to the party supply store and bought a pack. When I got home I got on YouTube and typed in how to make balloon animals. As a kid I always found balloon twisting fascinating and now, as an “adult”, I was all too keen to learn a new skill.
A bag of balloons will range from $20 - $25 and come in packs of 100. You will want to look out for the balloon size 260 and Qualatex will probably be the most common brand that you come across.
Forget learning from a book, it can be hard to follow and you will probably spend more time second guessing what you are supposed to be doing. I recommend going on YouTube, there are plenty of video tutorials that are easy to follow.
One of these YouTube channels is “Balloon - Animals” run by Michael Floyd. He is fast approaching 100 balloon animal lessons ranging from simple, one balloon designs, to some really intricate designs that look hard but after a bit of practice become much easier. click here.
With the help of my adorable cousin, I have selected six balloon animal designs that are fairly simple (three using one balloon each and three using two balloons each)
Balloon Animal How To
One balloon;
Dog; Probably the most simple design out there but it is the best place to start. The dog is one of those basic designs that everyone starts with but as you further your search you will find more complex designs.
Monkey; In my opinion, this is the best one balloon design going around. It is fairly simple but it does have some complex moves called “a pinch twist” that is a slightly more advanced move.
Pirate sword; A sword is always a crowd pleaser. I was once making balloons for kids and the Pirate sword was by far the most popular. The generic sword can be pretty simple and quick to make, but I choose the pirate sword because it has more detail and it is a bit more fun to make.
Two balloons;
Flower; Probably the second most popular design I have made. This design can be made as a tulip or a rose but the flower I think is the best.
Flower bracelet; Not quite my favourite two balloon design, but it is fun to make. The great thing about this design is that it can be tied to the wrist, particularly good for kids that want a balloon animal but have a hard time holding on to them.
Butterfly; The butterfly is a fun design that can also be a bit challenging. By using two different colours you can make it a really colourful design.
Like riding a bike you won’t forget how to make a balloon animal. They can be challenging but that is where the fun begins. Making balloon animals is a fun way to spend the day with your kids and who knows you might even like doing it yourself.
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