Ayla absolutely loved this one!! In fact we still have the hot air balloon hanging from the stairs today, and it’s still being played with!
If your child likes dropping and throwing things or anything else in the trajectory schema then this one will be a hit!
Suitable for: 2 Years +
Set up: 10 minutes
Resources
- Balloon
- Paper cup
- Cello tape
- Wool
- Somewhere to drop the balloon from!
The set up
Blow up your balloon and tie off the end. Cut off two pieces of wool and them around the knot of the balloon so you have 4 lengths of wool hanging from the bottom of the balloon.
Use the tape to tape the four pieces of wool evenly around the outside of the cup.
Now you need to measure out your long piece of wool, Cut the wool to the correct length and tape one end of the wool to the top of the balloon. You might want to do several layers of tape to make sure the wool is secure. Tie the other end of the wool to the banister I double knotted mine.
Find some little people who are willing to go for a hot air balloon ride and you are good to go!
Making the Most out of the activity
Full supervision is needed for this one due to it being close to the stairs! Let your little one explore dropping the balloon and follow their lead. I didn’t really ask any questions or extend Ayla learning because she pretended the people were going on a ride and was using her imagination.
You could add a counting element in or you could encourage them to take people out and put them in the basket at the top!
Learning opportunities
- Physical Development
- Communication and Language
- Expressive arts and design
- Understanding the World