Having a Blast With Balloons!

BALLOON FUN 

 

Today's post is an excerpt from the book:  Miraculous, Magical Moments in Minutes: 

Over 500 Quick Easy Activities for Adults and Children to Share  by Becky B. Baxa

 

No matter what your age, balloons are fun.

 

Balloons are fun to play with, look at and create with.

We know we can bounce them, stomp them, sit on them

and play volley ball with them,

 but here are a few more things to do with balloons. 

· Message Balloons

Write a message on a piece of paper.  Ideas:  Hug someone you like, sing a song, pat your head, hop on one foot, etc.  Fold this message and insert it into a balloon.  Decorate your balloon with a marker before you blow it up. After a game of Balloon Toss (keeping the balloon in the air as long as possible before  it touches the floor), pop your balloon and do whatever the message inside tells you to do. One or all of these should produce lots of laughter! 

· Static Electric Balloons

Can you make a balloon stick to your hair or a wall? Can you get it to pick up thread or some other lightweight object?  You can build a  negative electrical charge by rubbing an inflated balloon on someone's hair. Tiny particles (electrons)  move from the hair to the balloon.  The balloon will now stick to various things.  How many things can you find that are uncharged that you can make it stick to?

 

· Singing Balloons

Who has not made funny noises with a deflating balloon's “neck?”  Inflate a balloon but do not tie it.  Stretch its neck as the air escapes. You can make singing and silly noises. 

 

 

· Critters and Shapes

 

Twist and turn long skinny balloons to make animals and shapes.

 

· Floating/Flying Experiments            

             At our house, many boats and planes were created with the use of a balloon.  Not all of            the experiments worked, but it was fun and a good learning experience. 

             Give your older kids some balloons, tape and spare “parts” from their exploration play and let them create. Being the photo journalist for these experiences and encourager will be some of your favorite memories.

 

 

· Balloon Puppet

                 Blow up a balloon and draw a face on it.  Do not tie the balloon closed.  Deflate and       keep in your pocket. Then, pull out your “balloon buddy” whenever you need an attention getter.  This is especially fun and effective for transition between activities for younger children.  Older children will enjoy making their own balloon cast of characters. 

I used to sing a little tune, when the  balloon I called “Betty” wanted my  four year old preschool class to do something.   The words were: 

                                      “Betty Balloon, Betty Balloon,

                                       Betty Balloon says to….  (action desired).”

                  Action examples:  sit right down, come to me, pick up the toys, etc.

                      You can make up any tune, words, and name for your balloon.

 

 

 

This Blog Post is taken from the book:

 

    Miraculous, Magical Moments in Minutes:

   Over 500 Quick, Easy Activities for Adults and Children to Share 

    by Becky B. Baxa

 

If you would like more fun ideas to share with your children

(that do not require batteries or electronics )

you can purchase this 180 page book,

full of color photos,

for $21.95

from Amazon.com or Etsy.com

 

 

Instant Puppet!

The grocery line is long, the wait at the doctor's office is taking forever,

you get caught behind a long freight train,

your younger children are really bored at their older sibling's ball game...

What's a parent to do?

 

When you are looking for a quick, easy entertaining idea,

pull out a sharpie pen and create a puppet show!

 

Finger and Fist puppets can be made in a few seconds...

the entertainment and fun lasts a whole lot longer.

 

 

Fist Puppet

 

Make a loose fist with your thumb tucked in. The space on the side of your fist,  between your thumb and finger, becomes the mouth. Draw lips here.  Draw eyes on the knuckle of your index finger.

 

 

Finger Puppets

Draw faces on your finger(s) and you are ready for a puppet show.  In the picture below, meet my “family”:  Spot the dog (thumb) Momma, Poppa, Brother and Sister. You can make them any way you want, in any color, or multiple colors!

 

             This type of puppet is a life saver when waiting anywhere with fidgety children. 

All you need is a pen and you can create instant fun.

So, go grab a pen and stick it in your purse, car, desk, kitchen drawer and/or brief case. 

You never know when you will need to spice up the moment!

 

 

·  Puppet tips 

          Home made puppets are great for times when you are waiting.  Put on a funny voice, make silly expressions and you can entertain children for hours. Or, they can entertain themselves or you. 

             Create books or a story line about your puppets. What is going on in their lives, where do they live, what do they like and dislike.  This is a great way to “see” into your child’s thoughts as they create their puppet’s story. 

            If you are at home, don't be afraid to let children put on puppet shows with the flare of a large production.  Use a cardboard box, the back of a couch, a card table covered with a blanket or anything else you can dream up to perform the function of a puppet stage.  It will provide hours of entertainment for young and old alike.  Make sure there is a healthy round of applause after the performance.  And, don’t forget to take pictures! 

 

Source: 

Miraculous, Magical Moments in Minutes: Over 500 Quick, Easy Activities for Adults and Children to Share  by Becky B. Baxa
 

180 pages filled with color photos for $21.95 available from Amazon.com and Etsy.com

This book includes complete instructions with photos, hug and smile coupons, template for a family activity calendar, a children's recipe section and much more!

 

 

Don't Forget to Smile!

Do you ever feel like you are on a giant human hamster wheel? 

Many families are constantly on the go.  Conversations consist of what to do and where to go. 

"Grab your back pack.  Get to the car.  Get ready for bed.  Brush your teeth", etc.

 

As you begin the summer rush, don't forget to

STOP

Make Eye Contact

and

SMILE

at your child(ren)!

 

 

Don't let the urgent things; crowd out the important things in your family this summer.

 

 

You will be amazed at what a difference this will make!

Cardboard Box Fun!

It looks like an ordinary cardboard box...

But, to a child is becomes a...

fort

space ship

garage

secret hide-out

boat

car

play house

maze

etc.

 

Years ago we had just moved to another state.  Many things weren't unpacked yet and I was looking for something creative for the kids to do.  So, we took an empty box and turned it on its side. 

We cut out windows and a door.  Later we added a left over carpet scrap (a rug would work also). 

The next day we drew pictures on the outside of the box with crayons. 

Flowers, trees, grass and insects appeared on the outside of our "house". 

A roll of foil was found and a "mirror" appeared inside. 

Old greeting cards became pictures hanging on the wall. 

Crayons and markers created elaborate borders for each piece of wall art. 

Furniture was drawn on the walls to indicate which room of the house we were sitting in. 

 When some string was unpacked, we added handles to our window and door openings

to make them easier to open and close.

Every day, for weeks, we added something new.

 

 

 

Many years (yes years) of fun were had in that play box. 

It also sparked ideas for many more creations that lasted until the kids

 were in upper elementary school. 

 

"Robots"

 

Their ideas became more elaborate as they aged. 

 

 

 

We went through a lot of tape.  But the hours of fun and creativity it provided was well worth it!

 

 

After another move, when we had a fourth grader in the house,

the basement became consumed with a giant tunnel system created with our moving boxes. 

 Each day it become more elaborate as the design developed and became enhanced with things such as secret doors and spy holes.

 

Recently a young woman told me that playing in this cardboard maze in our basement

 was one of her favorite childhood memories. 

 

Who would have thought card board boxes could do that?

 

Playing with cardboard boxes is wonderful for dramatic role playing

and helps foster creativity in children.

Why foster creativity?  Architects, engineers, technology designers, teachers, carpenters, as well as actors, writers, musicians, and many more professions depend on creativity

 to excel in their profession.

 

So, give your kids some cardboard boxes, a roll of tape and let their imagination go! 

You will have to help make cuts if their design needs it.

 

Want an activity that may last the entire summer?

Contact a store that sells appliances and ask them to save you a box.

 

This could possibly be the best investment in your summer fun,

providing hours of play and creative opportunity for your children.

Fun With Masking Tape

Bored? 

Don't know what to do? 

 If you have a roll of masking tape you can have hours of fun!

Try a few of these ideas:

1.  Create a giant boat, tree, rocket ship etc. on the floor and play inside your pretend item! 
     This is a very simple, but powerful was to engage children in dramatic play.

\

 

2.  Create roads, train tracks, parking spots

 

 

   http://www.pintrest.com

 

3.  Create mazes

 

see http://www.handsonaswegrow.com for more maze fun ideas. 

 

This idea was also featured May 29, 2012 in this blog's post entitled Life Size Maze/City  

 

 

 

4.  Create Games:  Hopscotch

                         *Tic-tac-toe

                         * Long jump starting line

                                 (Measure how far everyone can jump.  Then try to beat your record.)

                         * Four Square - add a soft medium size ball and you are ready to go

                                 When my son was in fourth grade he made a four square on our basement

                                 floor that he and his friends had great fun with.  The masking tape four square

                                 provided hours of fun for many years, even through junior high.

 

  whattoexpect.com

 

 

5.  Obstacle course- this can be good for role play as well as large motor skill development.

 

      Tape back and forth across a small room or hallway.  Kids take turns crawling and stepping over

      without touching the tape.  This could also be done in a large refrigerator box.

      As much fun as this is for little ones, don't forget the older kids. 

      Tweens would LOVE to create complex designs and then test their skills! 

 

 

   chickenbabies.blogspot.com

 

                       

 

 

6.  Put random pieces on a table top, counter or the front of the refrigerator and let toddlers pick the

     pieces off.  This is an excellent activity to help develop fine motor skills.

 

 

   thestay-at-home-momsurvivalguide.blogspot.com 

 

 

 

7.  Using masking tape make lines or a design on a table top.  Then using a straw blow a pom pom

     along the lines.  Can you create the streets in your neighborhood and then "blow" your way

      home?  Make sure to create a little masking tape house that represents where you live.

 

     http://www.handsonaswegrow.com

 

 

 

8.  Spider Web Food Catch Game:  Create a giant spider web in a doorway using masking tape

     (painter's tape will be easier to remove and not leave a sticky residue on the wood).  Have each

     child create a bowl or plastic baggie full of tiny balls of paper wads.  This would be a good use for

     recycled paper.  Or, you could supply each child with cotton balls.  Then let kids pretend to be

    flies or insects that get "caught" in the spider web.  How many flies can the spider catch?

 

   handsonaswegrow.com

 

 

9.  Create shapes on the floor with your tape.  Then practice throwing bean bags into the square, then

     the triangle, then the rectangle, etc. 

 

Create a draw and throw game.  Using 3x5 note cards draw whatever shapes you have made on the floor.  Make 4 or 5 of the same shape.  Then have child draw a shape and toss a bean bag into the corresponding shape.

 

Directions for making simple bean bags can be found on October 22, 2012 post on this blog entitled Jiffy, Nifty Bean Bag.

 

No time to make a bean bag?  Try throwing cotton balls, small balls of foil, rolled up socks or paper wad.

 

   engagingtoddleractivities.wordpress.com

 

 

10.  Make a balance beam and walk the "line"

 

11.  Create images for amazing story telling!

 

 

 



This is Goliath from the Bible Story

He is really nine feet tall.

Kids have fun laying down with their heels at the bottom of his feet to see how tall he really was!

 

 

12.  And when the roll of masking tape is empty, don't forget to decorate the cardboard circle that is

       left making an awesome bracelet!  

     

13.  Use the empty masking tape ring as a stencil!

 

14.  Don't forget the easiest activity of all... play with the sticky.  Pull off a piece of tape and stick it

       together to form a circle.  Put your hand inside so the tape wraps around the palm of your hand.

       What can you pick up?  How does it  feel when you press it on and remove it from your fingers

        on the other hand?  How much lint can you remove from the couch, a pillow or your shirt/pants?

 

 

What else can you think of to do with masking tape?  I suppose the possibilities are endless!

 

Have fun!

 

 

 



Stencil Sensation!

 

A freshly sharpened pencil...a new box of colored pencils

some paper...

add a stencil or two and...

Let the fun creations begin!

 

Your kitchen houses all types of stencils that can be used or created in minutes.

 

Try these common items as stencils.

 

• Plastic lids from food containers (cottage cheese, yogurt, butter/margarine) with a design cut out of the middle.  Use cookie cutters to help create a design on the lid and and use a sharp utility knife on a cutting board to cut out the shape.The shape you cut out becomes a stencil as well as the lid itself.  (shown in the photo above)

• The inside ring of the roll of masking or scotch tape (pictured in the center of the large circle stencil in the photo above).
 
• A pasta measurer (Shown in the upper middle of above picture.  It has four holes.)
 
• The lids off of any container or bottle
 
• A plastic cup or plate
 
• Plastic storage containers and lids 

• A food box that has a "window". Cut out the side of the box with the opening and then remove the cellophane covering the opening. This results in an instant stencil.
 

 
• Cookie Cutters make great stencils too!
 
          

         

 Let your imagination go wild and see what happens!

Wooden Spoon Puppets

 

 

Puppets

 

There are a variety of ways to make a puppet

... fist, finger, paper sack, balloon, sock, envelope, glove etc.

 

For ideas on how to make these kind of puppets see: 

Miraculous, Magical, Moments in Minutes:  Over 500 activities for Adults and Children to Share

by Becky B. Baxa  pages 61-65. 

This book is available on Amazon.com and Etsy.com

 

Another exciting puppet is as close as your kitchen utensil drawer...

the wooden spoon!

 

 

 

Where to find your wooden spoons: 

 

Wooden spoons can be purchased at dollar or discount stores, resale shops or garage sales. 

Or, maybe you would like to get rid of a few in your utensil drawer that don't look so great anymore.

 

Needed: 

 

wooden spoon (s) and your creativity

 

Supply Ideas: 

 

glue, tape, pieces of yarn, felt, ribbon, fabric or felt scraps, construction or tissue  paper, markers and/or paints, googly eyes, colored chenille wires, Popsicle sticks, etc.  

 

Directions:  First decide what type of puppets you would like to make...people, animals, smiley faces, your favorite story book characters, family members, made up characters, etc.  Then start searching for things around the house that would work to make your puppet.  Desk drawers, craft and sewing supplies, left over pieces from other craft projects are all great places to look.  Let your imagination and creativity go! 

 

For example:  You would like to make someone that has blond hair and glasses and loves purple.  So, go on a hunt for yellow yarn or marker, a chenille wire or small piece of wire for glasses (or they can be drawn on with a marker) and some purple fabric or felt.  

 

If you decide to paint the entire spoon, a hairdryer can be used to speed the drying process.

charlottesfancy.com                                                                                  www.wikihow.com

 

The spoon can be pushed through the center of a soft airy sponge to form a body.

www.makeandtakes.com 

 

A Popsicle stick or colored chenille wire make great arms. Attach with a wire bread twist tie, yarn, string or a rubber band.

 

thenatureofgrace.blogspot.com 

 

Creation Ideas:

 

• Create a spoon puppet for everyone in your family. Don't forget the pets! www.biddingforgood.com

 

• Design puppets to match the characters in your favorite book and then retell the story.

 

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

 

 

•  Make up crazy characters, write a play and perform it for the family or your friends.

 

• A fun puppet stage can be created with an empty cereal box.  Cut the back out and a window in the front.  Decorate as desired.  You are ready for a puppet show!  Place the "stage" on the edge of a table.  Stand behind the box, or sit on a chair as you perform your play.

 

www.aspace.co.uk

• You can also use a window as your puppet stage.

 

 imperfectlybeautifulms.blogspot.com

 

 

 

www.comparestoreprices.co.uk 

 www.freekidscrafts.com

 

 

 

Alternative Idea:

 

Plastic spoons make great puppets also!

 

There are many different colors of plastic spoons that could be used to create a fun cast of characters. Faces can be added with a permanent marker.

 

Make a spoon for all kinds of different emotions.

 

 

www.creativejewishmom.com