Have an adventure making your own Fun Flying Miniature Hot Air Balloon craft for kids! Paint the balloon with a personal design and add a basket below, then hang in your room as a cute decoration.
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Cute Craft Alert: Mini Hot Air Balloon
I'm so excited because these are my granddaughter's hands in this video. We wanted to make a video together and it was so much fun!
My granddaughter ("P") is always crafting, recycling, and gifting things that she makes. She has a farmer's market stand and sells handcrafted items and lemonade- so she's also an entrepreneur. I'm so proud of her.
But the best part was just getting to be together and visit all the way through this craft while also showing her how a blog post is made. That's my heart- to be together and to use our hands to be creative.
She chose the miniature hot air balloon craft as our project and loved everything about making it. We hope that you do too!! It would make a nice gift for Father's Day or for a party decoration!
We did want to say that this craft sometimes took 4 hands! It would work best for older children or an adult/child partnership.
Supplies
Here are a few quick notes about the supplies you will need to make this cute hot air balloon craft!
- Lightweight white paper– This paper needs to be heavier than tissue paper so a copy paper or light weight drawing paper works fine.
- Mod podge – Matte finish Mod Podge is good to use for this craft.
- Scissors – Get out your handy dandy craft scissors to cut the paper and string.
- String –You'll use string to make a harness of sorts for the hot air balloon.
- 1 inch ring – A 1 inch ring (metal or plastic, keychain ring) or something to hang the balloon at the top. You could even make it out of string.
- Basket – Purchase or thrift a small basket that is about 3“ x 3“ x 2” square (or 3" in diameter). Or use a decorative item that looks like a hot air balloon basket.
- Balloon – A 12 inch balloon will be the framework for your papier-mâché project.
- Table covering – Cover and protect your work surface with newspaper, cardboard, or a piece of an old plastic tablecloth.
- Paintbrushes – You’ll need a set of paint brushes to paint your balloon.
- Acrylic craft paints – Acrylic craft paints in the choice of your colors are to paint the balloon.
- Tissue paper- We covered the copy paper with one layer of white tissue paper at the end, which did make it easier to paint. Optional step.
- Round cardboard container – Recycle a round cardboard container, like a salt container or small cornmeal container. It might work to use a round small plastic bottle. It should be approximately 3 inches in diameter.
- Hot glue gun – I used a hot glue gun and hot glue to put the hot air balloon together.
- Battery operated candle- Place a battery operated candle in the basket (optional).
Steps to Make a Hot Air Balloon Craft
Lay the table covering down on your surface to protect it.
Blow up your balloon to about 10 to 12 inches in size. Compare it to your basket to make sure that it is large enough to be in proportion.
Tie off the balloon.
Paper mache the balloon
Cut or tear the lightweight white paper into small pieces. If the paper is quite lightweight, then it can be in larger pieces like 2“ x 2“. But mine was heavier and we had to tear it down in size 2 about 1“ x 1“ in size.
Use an old paintbrush to begin putting Mod Podge on the balloon. Lay paper pieces in the Mod Podge. Paint Mod Podge over the paper too. Cover the entire balloon with paper (going around the stem of the balloon).
Repeat the last step until you’ve put about three layers of paper on the balloon.
Allow this to dry for several hours. I would recommend coming back to the project the next day.
Create a cardboard ring
Cut a ring from the recycled salt container (or other container you found to use). Cut the bottom off the container and cut again about one inch higher.
Paint the ring white or the color of your choice. I only painted the outside but the inside can also be painted. Set this aside.
Design the balloon pattern
Lightly draw a pattern on your balloon that you would like to paint. This can be any type of pattern. You may want to look online to see all the patterns on balloons that people have come up with! If you make a freeform design, paint it in the colors of your choice.
OR follow the next directions to make stripes of color on your balloon the way that you will see in the pictures and video.
Draw a dot at the top of the papier-mâché covered balloon. This would be directly opposite the tie that is sticking out of the bottom of the balloon.
Use a piece of string to wrap around the balloon from the top down to the tie and draw a line along that string. Do the same thing on the opposite side of the balloon. This will mark a line that makes the balloon have two sections.
Repeat this so that you divide each of the 2 halves in half. Then divide each of the fourths in half. This will make eight stripes of color on your balloon. That’s what you see in the pictures.
Paint the balloon
Choose colors of acrylic craft paint for your design. We chose eight different colors for the eight different stripes on the balloon. Use the set of paint brushes to paint each of the lines on the balloon the colors that you have chosen.
You may need to wait between colors so that they dry before adding the next color. But we did not have to wait long and had little trouble with the colors running into one another.
Assemble the air balloon craft
Gently pull on the knotted end of the balloon and make a small clip in the balloon with your scissors. Continue to hold onto the balloon as it deflates. Then gently pull it out of your papier-mâché balloon shaped hot air balloon.
Cut four long pieces of string that are about 4 feet in length each for the harness for the balloon.
Put the four strings in a stack and find the halfway point. Tie your ring on that halfway point of the four strings. Watch the video to make this clear.
Use hot glue and glue the string knot onto the top of your balloon. This is opposite where the tied balloon end had been.
Bring the eight strings down from the knot so that they align with the eight sections of the balloon. If you have made a free hand design. You will have to just kind of make a guesstimate as to where these eight lines will go.
Use a small line of hot glue to glue these strings in place from the top of the balloon down about an inch or an inch and a half. Be careful not to burn your fingers on the hot glue as you place the strings into the glue.
Hold your balloon up and you will see these eight strings coming down around the sides of the balloon. Collect them in one hand under the balloon and place them through the cardboard ring that you made earlier. Continue to hold onto the strings with one hand and turn your balloon upside down. You may need a second set of hands to help you with the next step.
Use hot glue to glue each of the eight strings inside of the cardboard ring so that they stay in place. The cardboard ring should be fitting around where the tied end of the balloon had been, directly opposite the top of the balloon.
When you hold the balloon up by the ring, each string will go around the balloon, go inside of the cardboard ring, and then hang down from there.
Attach the basket
Tie each of these strings to the top of the basket, at equal distances around the top edge. We used a ruler to measure about 2 inches down from the cardboard ring to the top of the basket. Then tied the string with two knots to keep it in place.
Do this with each of your strings. Then cut each string so the ends are about an inch and a half long. These are the "ropes" that you would see on a hot air balloon.
Put a battery operated candle in the basket if you would like it to light up. Hang it up and you’re ready to go!
Craft Tips
These tips can help making this hot air balloon art craft even easier!
- Age- This craft suits older children better as it takes more coordination. I think younger kids could do it with an adult helping them and being an extra set of hands.
- Bowl of glue- You can put the Mod Podge into a bowl and dip the paper into it and then place it on the balloon. This is more of a paper mache method.
- Tissue paper- After the paper was Mod Podged onto the balloon, we covered the surface of the balloon with a layer of white tissue paper. We thought this made it easier to paint. This is an optional step.
- String placement if painting a freehand design- Think about two strings going on the opposite sides of the balloon and then two more strings going halfway in between those lines. The remaining strings go halfway in between those lines. That will make the eight strings go down fairly evenly around your balloon.
Craft Variations
Here are a few variations you’re welcome to try with this hot air balloon model.
- Colored copy paper- Use colored copy paper to cover your balloon and this will be the background color of the balloon. Then just paint a design on it.
- Colored tissue paper- Instead of painting, the balloon, cover it with pieces of tissue paper in various colors!
- Candle holder – use a decorative candle holder instead of a woven basket for your balloon basket. That’s what you see in the pictures. This originally held a little 3 inch glass candle and I found it at the thrift store.
- Message- Leave one string longer and attach a message to it. It will look like a sign hanging down from the balloon!
FAQ
This tutorial tells how to make a paper mache hot air balloon in steps. Blow up the balloon and cover it in three layers of paper that is glued on with Mod Podge. Let this dry and paint it. Tie 4- 4 foot strings onto a ring (to hang it up). Glue the knot to the top of the balloon and gather the strings around the balloon. Tie the small basket underneath the balloon to look like a gondola. Details are in the post.
This tutorial tells how to make a homemade mini hot air balloon in steps. Blow up the balloon and cover it in three layers of paper that is glued on with Mod Podge. Let this dry and paint it. Tie 4- 4 foot strings onto a ring (to hang it up). Glue the knot to the top of the balloon and gather the strings around the balloon. Tie the small basket underneath the balloon to look like a gondola. Details are in the post.
This paper mache air balloon craft used 3 layers of paper on the balloon. I would recommend this.
I do not. I make a complete layer of paper over the balloon and then start over in making the next layer. Often it is fairly dry by that time anyways. I will say it would be easier to handle if it dried between layers.
More DIY Paper Crafts for Kids
Looking for more great DIY crafts for kids? Here are a few favorites for you to try:
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Fun Flying Miniature Hot Air Balloon Craft
Equipment
- Hot glue gun and hot glue
- craft scissors
Items Required
- copy paper or light weight drawing paper
- Matte finish Mod Podge
- string
- 1 inch ring (metal or plastic, keychain ring)
- small basket Purchase or thrift a small basket that is about 3“ x 3“ x 2” square
- 12 inch balloon
- Table covering protect work surface
- set of paint brushes
- Acrylic craft paints
- white tissue paper (optional)
- Round cardboard container – Recycle, 3" diameter
- hot glue gun and hot glue
- battery operated candle (optional)
- craft scissors
Instructions
- Lay the table covering down on your surface to protect it.Blow up your balloon to about 10 to 12 inches in size. Compare it to your basket to make sure that it is large enough to be in proportion.Tie off the balloon.
Hot air balloon papier mache
- Cut or tear the lightweight white paper into small pieces. If the paper is quite lightweight, then it can be in larger pieces like 2“ x 2“. But mine was heavier and we had to tear it down in size 2 about 1“ x 1“ in size.Use an old paintbrush to begin putting Mod Podge on the balloon. Lay paper pieces in the Mod Podge. Paint Mod Podge over the paper too. Cover the entire balloon with paper (going around the stem of the balloon).Repeat the last step until you’ve put about three layers of paper on the balloon.Allow this to dry for several hours. I would recommend coming back to the project the next day.
Cardboard ring
- Cut a ring from the recycled salt container (or other container you found to use). Cut the bottom off the container and cut again about one inch higher.Paint the ring white or the color of your choice. I only painted the outside but the inside can also be painted. Set this aside.
Balloon pattern
- Lightly draw a pattern on your balloon that you would like to paint. This can be any type of pattern. You may want to look online to see all the patterns on balloons that people have come up with! If you make a freeform design, paint it in the colors of your choice.OR follow the next directions to make stripes of color on your balloon the way that you will see in the pictures and video.Draw a dot at the top of the papier-mâché covered balloon. This would be directly opposite the tie that is sticking out of the bottom of the balloon. Use a piece of string to wrap around the balloon from the top down to the tie and draw a line along that string. Do the same thing on the opposite side of the balloon. This will mark a line that makes the balloon have two sections.Repeat this so that you divide each of the 2 halves in half. Then divide each of the fourths in half. This will make eight stripes of color on your balloon. That’s what you see in the pictures.
Paint the balloon
- Choose colors of acrylic craft paint for your design. We chose eight different colors for the eight different stripes on the balloon. Use the set of paint brushes to paint each of the lines on the balloon the colors that you have chosen.You may need to wait between colors so that they dry before adding the next color. But we did not have to wait long and had little trouble with the colors running into one another.
Assembling the air balloon craft
- Gently pull on the knotted end of the balloon and make a small clip in the balloon with your scissors. Continue to hold onto the balloon as it deflates. Then gently pull it out of your papier-mâché balloon shaped hot air balloon.Cut four long pieces of string that are about 4 feet in length each for the harness for the balloon.Put the four strings in a stack and find the halfway point. Tie your ring on that halfway point of the four strings. Watch the video to make this clear.Use hot glue and glue the string knot onto the top of your balloon. This is opposite where the tied balloon end had been.Bring the eight strings down from the knot so that they align with the eight sections of the balloon. If you have made a free hand design. You will have to just kind of make a guesstimate as to where these eight lines will go.Use a small line of hot glue to glue these strings in place from the top of the balloon down about an inch or an inch and a half. Be careful not to burn your fingers on the hot glue as you place the strings into the glue.Hold your balloon up and you will see these eight strings coming down around the sides of the balloon. Collect them in one hand under the balloon and place them through the cardboard ring that you made earlier. Continue to hold onto the strings with one hand and turn your balloon upside down. You may need a second set of hands to help you with the next step.Use hot glue to glue each of the eight strings inside of the cardboard ring so that they stay in place. The cardboard ring should be fitting around where the tied end of the balloon had been, directly opposite the top of the balloon.When you hold the balloon up by the ring, each string will go around the balloon, go inside of the cardboard ring, and then hang down from there.
Attach the basket
- Tie each of these strings to the top of the basket, at equal distances around the top edge. We used a ruler to measure about 2 inches down from the cardboard ring to the top of the basket. Then tied the string with two knots to keep it in place.Do this with each of your strings. Then cut each string so the ends are about an inch and a half long. These are the "ropes" that you would see on a hot air balloon.Put a battery operated candle in the basket if you would like it to light up. Hang it up and you’re ready to go!
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