Caution: Balloons are fun toys, but can be dangerous like all toys...PLEASE make sure small children do not chew balloons or have access to broken bits. We would like all our kids to grow healthy and happy. I ask you to be responsible like professional balloonist. Adult supervision is recommended.

The first trick to making a balloon animal is to blow up the balloon. This is hard. You can buy a hand pump or use a foot ball pump to help blow up the balloons. Do not blow the balloon up all the way... you only need 1/2 a balloon.

Carefully tie the balloon. When twisting a balloon, always start at the end with the knot. Do not worry, it will not break if you twist it, but you must hold on to both ends of the balloon. Otherwise, the balloon will untwist. The balloon will not stay twisted by itself. You have to twist the balloon together.

Goldfish

To do the goldfish you will need a round balloon and a long 260 balloon.  The round balloon could be any color, but I like to use gold or orange to make a goldfish.  But any color will do.

Step 1 -- Blow up the round balloon three quarters of the way, 

Step 2 -- Place the balloon between your legs, making sure the knot is facing the ground.  This will take two hands. Grab less then half the balloon and twist, figure 1. Don't let go.  Twist 3-4 times all the way around.  If you did it right your balloon will look like figure 2.   Remember hang on to both sides of the balloon or it will untwist.

		Do not worry it will not break. Why didn't it break? There is space at the end of the balloon for the extra air. That is why we only blow the balloon up three quarters of the way. Don't forget to tie the balloon otherwise all the air comes out.
Figure 1	Figure 2

Step 3 -- This will look like it's going to break, but it won't.  Your balloon should still look like figure 2.  Place the balloon between your legs, knot facing the ground.  The big part of the balloon is between your legs the small part is in your hands.  Take the small part and twist it in half.  That's right, split the small balloon in half and twist it 2-4 times all around,  If you twist it right, the balloon will stay twisted.  You will be able to let go and the balloon will look like figure 3.  Good job if it does, if not keep trying.

		If yours looks like this congratulations, you have just made the body of the goldfish If not, keep trying.
Figure 3

Step 4 -- This is where you will need to blow up the 260 balloon.  That's the long skinny balloon that you can buy at your local trick shop.  Blow the balloon up three quarters of the way.  Make a bubble that is 4-5 inches long and twist.  Remember to hang on to both sides of the balloon; otherwise it will untwist. 

Step 5 -- Look at figure 4.   You will need to take the knot of the balloon and twist it around the end of the first bubble.  This will make the tail of the goldfish.

Figure 4

Step 6 -- Take the tail and wrap this around the knot on the round balloon.  The goldfish body; look at figure 5. Then wrap the 260 balloon all the way to the lips of the goldfish and twist them together.  Take the remaining 260 balloon and wrap the balloon from the lips all the way back to the tail and twist them together. Make a bubble that is 4-5 inches long. Bend the bubble in half and twist it in the tail.  This should make the bottom of the tail. 

If you still have some balloon left over, twist a small bubble at the very end of the balloon and with an adult supervision cut the small bubble.   Tie the end of the balloon and twist the remaining balloon around the tail

Figure 5

Hey you did it, you have made your very own goldfish.