Round, fluffy, floating balloons are full of charm that sparks children’s curiosity.
Just seeing balloons in bright, colorful hues is enough to make some children’s eyes light up with excitement.
Unlike balls, balloons don’t hurt when they hit you, and they’re easy to prepare—benefits that make them a great, accessible activity in nurseries and kindergartens.
So this time, we’re introducing play ideas that use balloons.
From group games to DIY toys and even mats you can lie on, there are plenty of ideas that make the most of balloons’ unique qualities and can be enjoyed with friends or as a parent-child activity!
Find your favorite way to play and give it a try!
- Types of Fun Balloon Art and How to Make Them
- [Childcare / Physical Play] Fun Activities to Get Moving
- [Childcare] Perfect Indoor Play Ideas for 0-Year-Olds!
- [Childcare] Full of energy! Indoor activity ideas to get kids moving
- [Childcare] Fun recreation ideas using paper cups
- [Childcare] Parachute (paraballoon): Classic techniques and fun activities
- Indoor games that different ages can enjoy! Ideas for fun everyone can get excited about together
- [Childcare] Play ideas using hula hoops: Have fun by making the most of simple equipment
- Recreation for daycare centers and kindergartens: fun activities for children
- Useful for childcare! Today’s recommended recreational activities, including fingerplay and games!
- [For toddlers] Simple but amazing craft ideas — including toys they can play with
- Fun! A collection of handmade toy ideas made from Styrofoam
- [For 5-Year-Olds] Recommended Indoor Play! A Collection of Exciting Games
Let’s incorporate it into childcare! Fun balloon play ideas (1–10)
Balloon lifting
A few people stand in a circle facing inward, holding hands.
A balloon is tossed into the middle of the circle, and they keep it from touching the ground by tapping it upward with their hands or feet.
If the balloon hits the ground or anyone lets go of hands, that team is disqualified.
The team that keeps rallying the balloon without dropping it until the end wins.
Flying Twirly Balloon
Let’s play with balloons that float softly and spin through the air! You’ll use a hair dryer to make them fly.
It’s fun to fly a single balloon, but if you want to enjoy balloons that spin as they fly, you’ll need to combine several balloons.
Connect a few inflated balloons with double-sided tape to make a ring.
Once it’s ready, aim the hair dryer’s air at the balloon ring.
The ring of balloons will start spinning! If you make a large ring, you can even pass through the spinning balloons.
balloon volleyball
Volleyball is a classic ball game.
It can be dangerous for small children and the fast pace makes it difficult, but using a balloon for balloon volleyball is a great option because there’s no risk of injury.
The basic rules are the same as volleyball, but with a few tweaks—like sitting in chairs or using handheld fans—you can even play it in a classroom.
It’s a recreational activity you can enjoy indoors, even on rainy days.
Balloon Whack Game
Let’s try a game like the balloon version of watermelon splitting—Balloon Bashing! Unlike watermelon splitting, you don’t pop the balloon; you just hit it.
Prepare a balloon and secure it to the floor so it won’t move.
The person who hits the balloon wears a blindfold and gets ready with a light bat.
Once the game starts, they walk toward where the balloon is, guided by their friends’ voices.
When they think they’ve found the spot, they swing the bat down, and if they manage to hit the balloon, they succeed! Be careful when moving while blindfolded so you don’t trip or bump into anything around you.
Balloon target game
How about a balloon target game? Prepare several inflated balloons and stick them to a wall.
Instead of using real balls, crumpled newspaper balls are recommended.
Have the kids throw those “balls” at the balloons again and again! You can write numbers on the balloons to keep score, or draw different pictures on them and have the kids aim for the balloon with a specified picture—try adding various rules to make it fun.
Balloon air cannon
Let’s make a balloon air cannon you can use for target practice! You will need a balloon, a plastic bottle, a toilet paper tube, and vinyl tape.
Remove the cap from the plastic bottle, and cut off a bit of the bottom to make an opening.
Then slightly trim the top of a balloon, tie off the mouth of the balloon, and attach the balloon to the bottle’s opening.
Next, cut slits in one end of the toilet paper tube and spread them out like petals, then attach the tube around the middle of the bottle to make a handle for the air cannon.
Decorate as you like, and you’re done! When you pull the balloon, the air inside the bottle shoots out and knocks over objects set up in front.
Please divide the tasks between the teacher and the children according to the children’s ages.
Balloon Catch
These are games using balloons, which are used in a wide range of settings such as interior decor and toys.
The first is Balloon Catch, where you grab a balloon that floats upward at just the right moment—perfect for enjoying the lively motion of a fast-rising balloon.
The second is Balloon Hitting, played with your palm, a fan, or a towel.
It helps children adjust their strength and learn how to handle different objects.
The third is Balloon Basket, where you throw a balloon into a designated spot—timing is key.
Why not try these at-home play ideas that work well from small to large groups?
