Everyone dreams of someday climbing inside of a hot air balloon and seeing an amazing view of the world around them. While this takes a lot of guts, planning, and – of course – money to do, your children can pretend they are on their very own with our DIY Hot Air Balloons! Not only will your children love making these hot air balloons, but they will also love learning about hot air balloons and how they work in the process. In fact, hot air balloons have a pretty fun and interesting history that your children will love.
According to EBalloon:
On the 19th September 1783 Pilatre De Rozier, a scientist, launched the first hot air balloon called ‘Aerostat Reveillon’. The passengers were a sheep, a duck, and a rooster and the balloon stayed in the air for a grand total of 15 minutes before crashing back to the ground.
The first manned attempt came about 2 months later on 21st November, with a balloon made by 2 French brothers, Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier. The balloon was launched from the center of Paris and flew for a period of 20 minutes.
Hot air balloons work by propelling with hot air. This hot air makes the vessel lighter than the cold air around it and eventually floating. This method has never changed, however, the means of how the hot air is created has. People used to burn material inside the basket to keep it going, but now we can rely on modern technology such as gas machines. Who doesn’t want to be lighter than air?
Super Duper 4-Kid II Dome Tent
Open the doors and bring in the whole gang! This “Super Duper-4 Kid II” play tent is so large that two moms and three kids have room to play inside. It’s the perfect place to pretend to be in a hot air balloon! Designed especially large for added play value, this tent can be used indoors and outdoors. This giant play tent is made to be “kid tough” with a waterproof floor, and fiberglass poles.
This tent has hook and loop front door closure and one 19″ tunnel port with roll down flaps. A full mesh top has been added for extra ventilation and gives Mom a full view of what’s going on inside. It even has it’s own sturdy carry bag to easily transport it on-the-go or store when not in use. Time to float away!
DIY Hot Air Balloons
Inspired by Crafty Morning, these adorable DIY Hot Air Balloons will bring tons of joy and imaginative fun to your children.
What You Need
- Four pieces of felt
- One toilet paper roll
- Our printable
- String
- Tape
- Adhesive Spray
- Scissors
- Marker
How You Make It
- Start by cutting out the balloon shape on our printable.
- Using a marker, trace the balloon shape onto four different pieces of felt.
- Cut out each piece of felt.
- Fold each piece of felt in half
- Using glue or spray adhesive (we recommend the spray adhesive for felt) adhere each folded half to another folded half until all four pieces come together.
- If you wish to hang your parachute, glue a piece of string in between all layers of felt at the top as you are putting all four pieces together.
- Cut the toilet paper roll down to the size you want your basket to be – we cut ours into thirds.
- Cut four equal-sized pieces of string for attaching the basket to the “balloon”.
- Glue or tape string from the bottom of the felt down into the toilet paper roll.
- BONUS: Take it a step further and decorate your hot air balloons by cutting out felt shapes and adhering to the toilet paper roll basket!
Hot Air Balloon Fun!
Now that you have your DIY Hot Air Balloon, it’s time to play! We rounded up some fun things you and your kids can do with your new craft now that it is complete.
Decoration
Of course, you can hang your DIY Hot Air Balloon just about anywhere! There is a hook inside of our Super Duper 4-Kid II Dome Tent, making it the perfect place to not only craft your DIY, but to hang inside of when you’re done. Hang them in your room, your reading nook, the refridgerator, give as gifts or string it right above your bed.
Use As a Learning Opportunity
You can turn just about anything into a learning opportunity these days – even with our DIY Hot Air Balloons! Have your children plot out where they’d love to visit on a dream vacation, such as Europe or New York City. Have them research what types of sights and landmarks are in those areas and have them learn about the world around them.
They can also learn more about hot air balloons and how they work. The hot air method is the oldest form of flight invented by humans, and it also works with blimps and large balloons, such as some of the ones in the New Year’s Day parade. It’s also how Chinese Lanterns are able to fly – the learning possibilities are endless!
Let Us Know!
Have you ever been in a hot air balloon? Did you make this DIY Hot Air Balloon with your kids? Let us know in the comments below, or reach out to us on social media. Happy crafting!