Foil Balloons

Is there a project you do in your classroom that you keep returning back to year after year?  These "Foil Balloons" are that go-to for me.  They have been a staple in my classroom for nearly 27 years and other than a few off mentions here on my blog, I can't believe I haven't written a formal post about them until now!  

This is strictly an art project.  I mean, I ALWAYS tie it to something that we are doing in class (ie: poetry, social studies, science, etc...) but the balloons themselves are just a really cool art piece that looks amazing when hung on the ceiling.  

Here is what you will need 

(I am linking all of these to my Amazon Affiliate storefront.  You can use any brand that you like though) 

HEAVY DUTY foil (this just holds up better when the kids are working with it)

Pen (pencil works too but pen is just better)

Sharpies

Access to a large school-sized laminator

Straw

Scissors

Packing tape

Fishing Line

You can click here to find all of the items

Steps to make the balloons:

1.  Pull out a piece of foil TWICE the length that you will need.  Then FOLD IT IN HALF, with the shiny side out.  This will create what looks like two pieces of foil put together.

2.  Trace the shape you want (I use a stencil to make it easier on everyone involved)

3.  Using the pen, draw the design on the balloon that you want.  This design will imprint to the backside piece of the foil (remember you folded it in half.)

4.  Color in your design with sharpies.  The less silver showing, the better it ultimately looks.  

5.  Once the first side is completely colored in, turn the entire project over and color that side.  The design should already be there, imprinted from when you first drew it on the first side.

6.  Cut out the balloon, both sides together at the same time.

7.  Laminate.

8.  Using the scissors, cut around the balloon.  You will want to leave a 1 inch lamination border around the entirety of the balloon.

9.  Cut a little notch on the top of the balloon.   Insert a straw and blow it up.  The lamination will hold everything in place.

10.  Use packing tape to cover up the notch and keep the air inside.

Once it is all put together, attach a piece of fishing line to it and hang it from the ceiling!  The fishing line makes it look almost like the balloon is just hanging there in thin air.  

If you would like a video tutorial of this, you can find one on my TikTok or on IG Reels.  

The beauty of using foil is that you can do any shape balloon that you want.  You can make them big or small.   In the past I have made hot-air balloons, fish, birds, rectangular flags, circles....even piggy banks!  It all depends upon what I am tying it to at the time.  These latest ones were used as a response to literature with the book The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be.  You can find that lesson here.