MINI MONDAY: BALLOON BOP

Hop, stretch, and kick to set this balloon into motion! Enjoy the sun as you develop your gross motor and manipulative skills or take the balloon bopping fun indoors!

Materials

• Balloon
• String
• Painter’s Tape (if indoors)

Directions:

• Blow up your balloon. Tie it closed
• Cut a piece of string at the desired length
• Tie the string to the end of the balloon
• Decide if you would like to set your balloon up inside or outside
  • If you are setting up outside, tie your balloon to the branch of a tree at the desired height
  • If you are setting up inside, use painter’s tape to attach your balloon to the ceiling at the desired height
• At first, set your balloon up so that it is high enough that your child would need to jump to reach it. Encourage your child to jump up in the air, and use their hand to hit the balloon
• Lower the balloon a little so that it is at a height where your child’s head can touch it as they move up and down on their toes. Encourage your child to push themselves up and down on their toes to make their head bop the bottom of the balloon
• Lower the balloon further so that it is at a level where it can be kicked. Encourage your child to kick the balloon
• Choose your favourite height and keep the fun going!

Keep the fun and learning going! Can you…

• Think of other ways to move the balloon? Test them out!
• Count how many times you can hit/bop/kick the balloon in a row?
• Create a forest of balloons? Hang multiple balloons from your tree/ceiling, and practice moving all of them at once!

Essential Learning Experiences

Gross Motor Skills

Gross motor skills are developed when children use their larger muscles, like the ones in their arms and legs. Gross motor skills are used for all kinds of movements – like crawling, rolling, running and jumping. This week’s activity helps to support the development of gross motor skills by encouraging children to jump up high to reach the balloon.

Manipulative Skills

Manipulative skills are used to move an object using our hands or feet. They can include throwing, tossing, kicking, catching, and striking. This week’s activity helps to support the development of manipulative skills by encouraging children to strike, bop, or kick the balloon to set it into motion!

Stay tuned for more resources to help spark kids’ creative learning!

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