Wow...A hot air balloon

I wanted the kids to do something new. So the challenge was to use any household material to make something different and the change the look completely (that’s how I work in my recycled projects)..So no converting a container into another container, no painting CDs (unless they use it further as something else) and doing something they have never seen before (no copying). The best part about kids is they are honest and wont do a google search to get ideas….So I had a 4.5 year old and my 18 month old work on this (she tears, colors, sticks, does finger printing, learns, entertains and is a handy craft companion)…..They had exactly 45 minutes, which with kids usually extends as u have to persuade them to stop. They keep changing their mind, adding on and the final stage never seems to come.

 

They picked a lot of materials but some I had to take back as they aren’t meant to be recycled like the TV remote and my house keys (Though I wondered what they would do with it!)...Anyway, here are the materials they used….an old plastic shuttle cock, a broken plastic racquet, a burst cloth ball, pins, threads, paper and paint, scissors, some old broken bunny hooks, ribbons, glue.

 

 

 

I think this is brilliant……..A hot air balloon (they dint know that’s what its called, but they had seen it on TV)….I would never think of this. They also attached a string behind to hang it.

 

 

 

 

How you can do it:

Paint the shuttle cock as a basket (brown) and fill it with paper, thread, sponge or anything which is light in weight.

Put the 2 bunnies inside  (you could use any small plastic toys you may have). Now decorate the ‘basket’ with balloons, ribbons….To make the balloon they had 2 versions.

They made the head of the racquet as a base (which they also used to shape the balloon). They first made a paper balloon but realized it wasn’t sturdy enough hence they went back to their earlier plan of wrapping the cloth around it to which they could attach a pin and also hang it.

Paint some clouds and sun as decoration.. . 

 

How can you do it better:

(1)You could use a real gas/ helium balloon (the one that rises in the air) for fun and watch the basket which is extremely light in weight rise.

(2) If u like to see it as a parachute you could tie it to the shower cap and let it float down especially if you stay on higher floors and it’s a windy day!

 

 

If you make this, please share your artwork pictures in the below comment box, would love to know.


I have submitted this artwork for kids recycle challenge http://www.artsycraftsymom.com/2014/06/kid-friendly-recycled-crafts.html