Got a bag of balloons? Then you’ve got an infinite number of possibilities for crafts, games, and all-around fun. Whether you’re looking to add bounce to a birthday party, looking to do summer camp at home, or just planning for a long weekend, these crafts and games will keep kids busy and happy—and all you need are a few simple supplies that, chances are, you already have at home. (Grown-ups will have fun too, especially if you follow my motto to D.I.T.—Do It Together.) Grab your kids and your balloons and ready, set, blow!
Balloon Games
One of the easiest things you can do with balloons? Use them to give your favorite games a little more pop. Balloon Games Printable Template, click here
Water Balloon Games
Most of the classic balloon games become even more interesting when you use biodegradable water balloons instead. A filled water balloon makes a game of catch, dodgeball, or monkey in the middle much more interesting—and refreshing on a hot day.
Balloon Sports
Substitute a balloon for a ball when you play your favorite games—an air-filled balloon can be batted back and forth in badminton or kedema, and a biodegradable water filled balloon makes baseball a lot splashier.
Balloon Animals
Blow up a balloon and turn it into a cute animal whether it’s our Party Pup, a balloon bunny, or you take an orange balloon, a black marker and a construction paper fin to create a clownfish! Tape construction paper details to the balloon, cover it in stickers or just draw on it with a marker to “groom” your pet.
Older kids can take balloon pets to the next level by twisting long narrow balloons into animals like this French poodle (it’s even wearing a cute DIY collar). Click here for our balloon-twisting template.
Balloon Fruits
Small balloons are great for turning into fruit-inspired decor, like these cute cherries. The fun project can be used as picnic decor, or tape a few pairs of “cherries” on the wall to create a fun photo backdrop for selfies.
These lemon balloons are fun, fresh decor for a summer lunch or lemonade stand. Hang them from a tree or pool umbrella to create a “lemon tree” kids can play under and adults can sit near, sipping limoncello.
Balloon Portraits
Spend a crafternoon immortalizing each other by turning balloons into 3-D “portraits.” Draw on a smile, cut out construction paper hair and accessories, tape them on and voila! We’d recognize you anywhere!
Balloon Decor
I made this easy, impactful “Party Animal” cake topper to celebrate the release of my friend Gray’s children’s book. To make your own party animal topper, download our elephant or have kids draw their own “party animals,” cut them out, and turn them into cake toppers along with a bunch of small balloons attached to straws or lollipop sticks (water-balloons, filled with air instead of liquid, work great).
Add a little something extra to an afternoon of fun and games by using markers to decorate balloons to look like balls—orange ones can be basketballs, yellow are perfect for tennis, and white make great baseballs. You can use balloons of any size from oversized round ones to small water balloon ones that are only blown up part of the way. These also make great decor for a sports-themed birthday party.
This balloon cooler is decor, refrigeration, and an activity all in one. Fill some small balloons with water, pop them in the freezer, then drop them in the middle of a pool float on the grass to create a cooler for soft drink cans and water bottles. (You might want to layer an ice pack underneath to increase the chill.) The balloons will keep drinks cool, and, once the ice melts, they’re water balloons for tossing, catching, and smashing on the ground!
1. Watermelon Tube 2. Book 3. Biodegradable Balloon 4. Crepe Paper 5. Small Balloons 6. Biodegradable Water Balloons 7. Balloon Pump 8. Light-Up Balloon 9. Balloon Light 10. Pump 11. Bat 12. Glow Balls 13. Giant Balloon