Having fun with your toddler or preschooler can be as easy as blowing up some balloons and letting their imagination take flight. These balloon games are fun, easy to set up and, most importantly, give you a great opportunity to play together.
These balloon games are a great way to have fun, be silly, and build your bond with your child through laughter and play. When you play with your child and give them your full attention, it helps them feel special and loved, which can strengthen your relationship. Games don’t have to be complex. They just need to give you the chance to spend time together.
Before you get started, safety first! Balloon play should always be adult supervised in case a balloon pops. Depending on where children are in their development, they might try to put the balloon in their mouth, which is a choking hazard.
Making Balloon Faces
Materials: Balloons and markers
To play: While the balloon is deflated, encourage your child to draw faces or other designs on it. The more designs, the better! Watch their amazement grow as you inflate the balloon and their designs stretch bigger and bigger. Once you’ve inflated a balloon face, you can use that balloon for any of the other activities below.
Balloon Soccer
Materials: Balloons and a laundry basket or empty trash can
To play: Try out this silly twist on soccer! Inflate at least one balloon—you can use as many as you want—and set a laundry basket or empty trash can on its side. Challenge your child to try kicking the balloon into the basket. It’s a lot harder than it looks!
The Floor Is Lava, Balloon Edition
Materials: Balloons
To play: You might be familiar with the floor is lava game, in which you have to find creative ways to make sure you don’t touch the ground. In this version, your balloon can’t touch the floor. Blow up a balloon, and encourage your child to tap it with their hands, head, feet, shoulders, and more to make sure it doesn’t touch the ground. For an added challenge, inflate multiple balloons and try to keep them all in the air at the same time!
Balloon Relay Races
Materials: Balloons and at least four participants
To play: This pass-the-balloon relay race is sure to end in giggles! To get started, form at least two teams with two or more participants on each team. The first participant from each team will place an inflated balloon between their knees. Have them waddle across the room and back. When they reach their partner, they must pass the balloon to their partner without using their hands. Once the balloon is between their partner’s knees, the first team to cross the room and make it back to the starting line wins! You can make endless variations of this game depending on the age of your child and the number of people playing.
