Balloons are fun and come in many bright colours, which is why most children enjoy playing with them. Give your child a balloon and they will probably play with it for hours as it can inspire chasing, jumping, bouncing, and passing games. Besides, it is something that children can play together with their friends!
So, turning your leftover party balloons into exciting play toys for your children is the perfect solution! Not only does it prevent your balloons from going to waste, it can also be fun and educational toys for your kids. Here are some ways balloons can be used to add fun and learning!
Physical development
Balloons can help infants practice hand-eye coordination. By attaching a helium balloon to the ankle of the child, you can engage them to move their legs for longer periods of time. They may engage with the balloons by scooting on their belly and pushing it with their hands and feet. When the children are older, you can move on to playing catching or other games with balloons. This will help children practice their physical coordination and prepare them for social ball games in the future.
Sensory development
After inserting different items such as marshmallows, sand, or even water into uninflated latex balloons, you can allow your children to touch and feel the different textures through the balloon. When you use a finer material like sand or flour in the balloon, you can even mould the balloon into various shapes! Get your child to form their desired mini sculptures, with less of the mess and stickiness of play dough!
Emotional development
Balloons can be a lesson in emotional development as well. For example, balloons can pop suddenly, at any time, especially if they have been overblown or been subjected to impacts – which is bound to happen during playtime. Through this, children can learn that things don’t always happen according to plan, and disappointing events can happen. Instead of sulking over it, they will learn to overcome the loss of the balloon, seek solutions like blowing up a new balloon, or turn to alternative items or games to play with!
Conclusion
There are many ways children can play with balloons, from filling them up with water and starting a water balloon fight to a catching game with a blown-up balloon. Whether during the party, or afterwards, balloon games can benefit your child in more ways than you think!
No balloons at home? Simply drop by a party shop in Singapore to purchase them! We have a wide variety of balloons that comes in different colours and patterns. We also have customised gifts for birthdays if you are looking for something to bring to the next party!