Rain, Rain, Go Away
With Spring in the air, I know a lot of us are happy to be getting back outdoors again. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of warm sunshine on your face and grass between your toes! Unfortunately, that old cliché of “April showers bring May flowers” is around for a reason. To help make sure the weather doesn’t rain on your parade, I’ll be spending the next few weeks talking about some fun and active games to play with your kids indoors.
This week’s game? Balloon Bops!
This is a really great game because there are a bunch of different ways you can play and it’s a hit with kids of just about any age. The concept is simple: Take a regular latex balloon, not one of the foil ones, and blow it full of air. Tie off the end and you’re ready to go!
Version 1: Free-for-All
The Free-for-All is a great option if you have a bunch of kids stuck inside but it’s also fun with only two people. Get everyone together and start by tossing the balloon into the air. There’s only one rule, don’t let it touch the ground! You can use your arms, legs, head, and anything else you can think of to keep the balloon aloft. Nothing is off-limits! I can guarantee it’ll have the kids laughing up a storm in no time.
For a bigger challenge, or an extra dash of fun, just add more balloons!
Version 2: Balloon Tennis
Balloon Tennis is great if you have only a few people playing, anywhere from two to six, depending on the size of the space you’re playing in. For the game, the two people or teams stand opposite each other in the room. Decide which team starts by tossing a coin (or whichever team has the youngest player) and off you go! The object of the game is to keep the balloon off the floor on your side of the room and for it to hit the floor on the other team’s side. Or, if you want to keep it less competitive, just to hit it back and forth!
Version 3: Balancing Act
Balancing act is perfect for helping to improve a child’s coordination, balance and focus. Pick a body part: head, hand, knee, nose, foot! Place the balloon gently wherever you choose and do your best to keep it there! Actually managing it can be very hard, especially for younger kids, so the key to this game is to not take it too seriously.
Remember, it’s all for fun!
What I really like about the Balloon Bop games is that they keep kids excited and engaged without endangering your furniture or needing a lot of clean up. There’s no reason to stop with these three, either. Balloons can be a source of almost endless entertainment. Even if you don’t give your kids a game, it’s very likely that they’ll come up with one themselves!
May your April showers bring May flowers and lots and lots of fun!
