how to make a balloon pet

How to Make a Balloon Pet.

A balloon pet can be made in various ways, each making use of the balloon shape and then being decorated as you please. In each case, these little "companions" aren't meant to last long; they're just a fun toy or decoration for a short time.

Method 1 Blown up balloon pets.

1. Make a balloon pet using a blown-up balloon. There are lots of possibilities here, so this section will provide a few suggestions and you can experiment with your own as well.

2. Make a balloon dog. Choose a balloon in the color you'd like the dog to be, such as brown, white, black, grey or any other color.

Blow up the balloon with helium gas. Tie it into a knot, to keep the gas in place.

Draw floppy ear shapes onto two pieces of card. Color in (if needed), then cut these out. Attach using glue to each side of the balloon, at the non-knotted end.

Draw the face directly onto the balloon. Draw a kidney shape facing downward for the snout and draw a circle in the middle for the dog's nose. Draw large eyes above the snout and blacken them in.

Tie a string on the base. The dog balloon can now be played with or used as a party decoration.

3. Make a balloon fish. Choose an orange or yellow balloon for making the fish.

Blow up the balloon. You can use air or helium gas, whichever is easiest. Tie a knot in it, to keep the air in place.

Draw two fin shapes on orange or yellow card. Cut these out. Attach them with glue to the sides of the balloon, with the back of the fins facing toward the knotted end of the balloon.

Cut out a tail fin from the orange or yellow card. Glue over the knotted area of the balloon.

Stick on two large eyes made from card. Or, simply draw these on with markers.

The fish balloon is now ready for play or to be placed out as a decoration for a party.

4. Make a balloon puppy. This is a fun one for the kids to drag around with them, and is easier if you only have air rather than helium for filling the balloons.

Blow up the balloon. Tie a knot in it, to keep the air in place. (Air is best as it allows the balloon puppy to hover around the kid's feet as it is being walked.)

At the knot end of the balloon, create the dog's face. Draw a round nose just above the knot and blacken it in. Draw a smiling mouth (two semi circle arcs either side of the knot). Draw whisker dots above each smile arc (about four is sufficient).

Either attach floppy ears made from card, or draw them on the dog. They look more effective if made from card though.

Cut out a length of string or cord. Tie onto the balloon knot. This becomes the puppy's leash.

Allow the kids to take the balloon puppy for a walk.

Method 2 Water balloon pet.

1. Fill a water balloon with water.

2. Tie off the balloon to keep the water intact.

3. Decorate the balloon.

Draw a face on it. Use markers. If you want to stick on googly eyes, do so.

Stick on hair if wished. You can use strands of yarn stuck on with craft glue. If you would like a bow in the hair, cut one from paper and glue on.

Draw on any clothing or accessory features, if relevant. For example, a tie, or necklace.

4. Finished. The water balloon pet can be played with for a while.

Method 3 Balloon stress relief pet.

1. Make a stress relief pet that will last a little longer than the other projects suggested in this article. This "pet" can be held in the palm of the hands and squeezed to reduce tension and exercise the hand muscles.

2. Choose a balloon color. Any color is fine, these "pets" can be all colors of the rainbow.

3. Stretch the open end of the balloon a bit. Stretch it back and forth to make the opening a little looser. This will help placing the filling inside.

4. Funnel in the filling for the balloon. This can be either sand or play dough, depending on your preference. Kids tend to like the play dough because it can be shaped into all sorts of funny configurations that keep their shape after molding.

5. Knot the balloon. Ensure that the sand or play dough do not come into the neck area of the balloon; if you have overfilled it, remove some of the filling, to allow you to tie a knot in the balloon.

6. Decorate the balloon pet. Draw eyes, a smile, a nose, freckles, etc. It's fun to let the kids do this for themselves, as they can style the face in their own way.

7. Add hair. This step is optional but can make the pet look funnier. Add small spikes of yarn to the knot end of the balloon; glue to attach. Keep these pieces short, so that they stand up.

8. Done. The balloon pet is now ready for play or stress relief.

Method 4 Balloon animal from balloon art.

1. Make a balloon pet using balloon art twisting techniques. There are many different animal shapes that you can make using this technique, allowing you to have a whole menagerie of balloon pets if wished.

Question : Mine is ugly. How do I make it pretty?
Answer : Experimenting with different faces and designs can help you to make this craft your own. If you're not happy with how it looks the first time, try making it again in a different color or with a different face. Remember, practice makes perfect!

Tips.

Dispose of used balloons thoughtfully. They should be encased inside your normal trash, so that animals cannot find the balloon remains and eat them. Balloons inside animals can kill if they get wrapped around internal organs or cause blockages.

Things You'll Need : Balloons, Markers, Decorative elements, Scissors and glue, Card, String or cord, Sand or play dough as filling.