How to Make Balloon Animals or Things
Watching clowns and street artists deftly and quickly take a simple balloon and transform it into a toy or a hat brings joy and amazement to children, and often causes adults to drop money into the artists' upturned hats. Some balloon twisters even charge upfront for their skills. Making balloon animals is easier than it looks, but it does take a lot practice to become good at. If you are willing to experiment and struggle through the first few attempts, you can gain a fun skill that will make you the life of any child's birthday party.
Instructions
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Collect balloons that are long and skinny, not round.
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Inflate balloons about half way. You need the extra space to be able to fold the balloon into animal shapes. Tie balloons shut with a knot, the same way you would with a fully inflated balloon.
You should now have a long balloon with air on one end and and an empty section on the other end.
If blowing up a lot of balloons proves difficult, use a hand-held air pump.
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Start at the end with the knot, which is also the end with the air. To make a balloon puppy dog, twist the balloon into three sections, each about three or four inches long. Twist a couple of times around or the balloon will untwist when you let go. The balloon will not pop because it was not fully blown up.
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Focus on the first and third twists. Pull them together and twist them around each other a couple of times. This creates the head and ears of a dog.
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Twist another two-inch-long bubble to make a neck.
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Twist two more bubbles to form the legs. Twist them around each other so the doggy will be able to stand.
Make two more bubbles at the back end of the balloon and twist them around each other to make back legs. As long as you still have a little extra space in the balloon, make one more bubble twist at the very end so your puppy dog has a tail.
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Experiment with twisting two different color balloons together after you become skilled at twisting one balloon.
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Tips & Warnings
Hold on tight to both bubbles when twisting, or the balloon animal will come undone.
Practice makes perfect. Do not give up in frustration after the first try.
