KIDS BALLOONING with Magical Balloon-dude Dale
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 a 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 football 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.
Basic Puppy Dog
Step 1–Blow up the balloon halfway.
Step 2–Start at the beginning with the knot and twist a 3 to 4-inch bubble or 3 or 4 fingers wide. Make sure you hang on to both ends of the balloon, otherwise it will untwist. Twist it around 2 or 3 times. 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 halfway.
Step 3–While holding on to the twisted balloon, make another bubble the same size. This will be the one ear. Do not let go.
Step 4–Make another balloon bubble the same size. This is the other ear. Look at the picture.
Step 5–Twist balloon joints A & B together. Twist 2 or 4 times all the way around. The balloon will not break, and they will stay together.
If yours looks like this, very good; if not, try it again. Practice makes perfect.
Step 6–Now for the neck. Twist a 2 to 3-inch bubble or 3 or 4 fingers wide. This is the neck. Make sure you hang on to the balloon, both parts.
Step 7–Let’s make the legs, after all–we want your dog to stand. Start by twisting a 2 to 3-inch bubble. Hang on to the neck as you twist the balloon, and do not let go of the leg. Step 8–Second leg, same as the first. Twist a 2 to 3-inch bubble. Twist those two parts together just like you did with the ears. Remember twist around each other 4 or 5 times. Twist the parts together to look like the drawing.
Step 9–Have a lot of balloons left over? Hotdog! We make the body 1 1/2 hands long. Then twisting; make sure you hang on to the balloon. Make the legs as you did in step 7. Congratulations, you have just made your first hotdog dog.