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Balloons…99 red balloons!
We play so much with balloons in our play therapy practice, they are lots of fun and cheap as chips!
These games are great for bonding, connection, co-operation, team work, decision making, flexible thinking and problem solving.
Keepie uppies – between two or more players, keep the balloon up with only your hands, while holding hands, with only your left hand, with your elbows, with your head, with your feet.
Add in a second balloon and see where it takes you!
Between two players walk around keeping the balloon between your backs, between your heads, between your arms.
Play tennis and football with the balloon, add in a second and third balloon. Great fun.
Making a stress ball / squishy with balloons
Resources
Balloons, scissors, funnel (empty drink bottle), spoon, permanent markers
Fillers – flour, rice, slime, lentils, sand, beads, liquid soap, get creative about what you can put in.
Any hard filler is great for sensory feedback, releasing anger, aggression and frustration.
Blow up a balloon as big as you can and let the air out of it
Secure the neck of the balloon to the mouth of the funnell (this can be hard for little hands so offer help if your child is struggling with it)
Fill with your chosen filling and tie a knot at the end, cut off the bit above the knot. (tying the knot can be hard, offer help if the child is struggling but be careful not to take over)
Take a second balloon, blow up and release air, cut off at the start of the neck, so you are just left with the circle part.
Place over the other full balloon with the knot on the inside
Decorate as you wish with a sharpie or permanent marker.
A Lot of children we work with make these squishy stress balls. They are a great regulation tool.
After making the squishy wonder aloud what you might make the next time, is there anything you would change and why.
The clean up can be fun too, so sharing the jobs and tidying together. Keeping it playful and nurturing is key…play is about fun, no judgment, expectations or shoulds.
