Kids love balloons, but finding new ways to play with them can be tricky. Parents and teachers often struggle to develop fresh ideas to keep children engaged.
Our list of over 37 balloon games for kids offers a solution.
These fun activities will spark joy, boost creativity, and promote physical activity in kids of all ages. In this article, we’ll share easy-to-set-up balloon games for kids that require minimal supplies.
You’ll find ideas for indoor and outdoor play, party games, and educational activities.
Get ready to turn simple balloons into hours of fun and learning for the little ones in your life.
Let’s dive in and explore some unique and fun balloon games for kids!
Game 1: Balloon Tennis
It is a fun game where kids use tennis-like moves to keep the balloon in the air.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, An open space
How to Play:
- Kids hit the balloon and try to keep it from touching the ground.
- Use hands like tennis rackets to keep it going.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Add a counting element; count how many hits before the balloon drops.
- Play in teams for extra fun.
Game 2: No Hands Balloon Tennis
It’s a fun version of Balloon Tennis in which kids cannot use their hands to keep the balloon in the air.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, An open space
How to Play:
- Kids use anything but their hands—like heads or feet—to keep the balloon from falling.
- The goal is to keep the balloon in the air as long as possible.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Set a timer and see who can keep the balloon up the longest.
- Try playing in pairs or groups for added fun.
Game 3: Balloon Plate Pass
Kids balance a balloon on a paper plate and pass it around, testing their coordination and teamwork.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Paper plates
How to Play:
- Kids stand in a circle and pass the balloons around using paper plates.
- The aim is to pass the balloon without it falling off the plate.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Use themed plates to make the game more fun.
- Add multiple balloons for a bigger challenge.
Game 4: Balloon Between the Legs
It’s a hilarious game where kids walk or run while holding a balloon between their knees.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, An open space
How to Play:
- Kids hold a balloon between their knees and try to walk or run without dropping it.
- The goal is to reach the finish line first while keeping the balloon in place.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Turn it into a race by adding a finish line.
- Try adding obstacles to make it more challenging.
Game 5: Balloon Relay
Teams race to pass the balloon to the next player in line without dropping it.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, An open space
How to Play:
- Players form teams and stand in a line.
- The first player passes the balloon to the next without using their hands.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Use different-sized balloons to change the difficulty.
- Add a rule where players must pass the balloon in a specific way, like over their heads or under their legs.
Game 6: Keepy Uppy
It’s a classic game where kids keep the balloon in the air as long as possible.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, An open space
How to Play:
- Kids hit the balloon to keep it from touching the ground.
- The goal is to keep it in the air for as long as possible.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Play in teams to see who can keep their balloon up the longest.
- Add more balloons to increase the challenge.
Game 7: Balloon and Spoon Race
A balloon variation of the traditional egg-and-spoon race.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Spoons, An open space
How to Play:
- Kids balance a balloon on a spoon and race to the finish line.
- The first to cross the line without dropping the balloon wins.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Use smaller balloons to make balancing harder.
- Try using different types of spoons for added difficulty.
Game 8: Balloon Football
It is a slower-paced football game using a balloon instead of a ball, making it perfect for younger kids.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, An open space
How to Play:
- Kids form teams and try to score by kicking the balloon into the opponent’s goal.
- The game is slower, making it easier for younger players.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Set up goals with cones or other markers.
- Add rules like only using feet or heads to make it more challenging.
Game 9: Musical Balloon Pop
A balloon game combined with musical chairs where the last child standing gets to pop the balloon.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Music, An open space
How to Play:
- Kids pass a balloon around while the music plays.
- When the music stops, the child holding the balloon pops it.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Put small prizes inside the balloons for extra excitement.
- Use different-colored balloons and assign different tasks based on the color.
Game 10: Balloon Hunt
It is a game where kids, in pairs, search for hidden balloons filled with small prizes.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Small prizes, An area for hiding
How to Play:
- Hide balloons filled with small prizes around the play area.
- Kids work in pairs to find as many balloons as they can.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Create clues or a map to make the hunt more challenging.
- Use different colors to signify different levels of prizes.
Game 11: Hands Off! Balloon Game
Teams must keep a balloon off the ground without using their hands.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, An open space
How to Play:
- Players form teams and stand in a circle.
- Teams use anything but their hands to keep the balloon from touching the ground.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Add more balloons to increase the challenge.
- Set a timer and see which team can keep the balloon up the longest.
Game 12: Balloon Dare Relay
It is a relay race in which teams pop balloons to reveal the dares they must complete before passing the baton.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Dares written on paper, An open space
How to Play:
- Teams race to pop a balloon, complete the dare inside, and then pass the baton.
- The first team to complete all the dares wins.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Include funny or silly dares to keep the mood light.
- Use different colors for different difficulty levels of dares.
Game 13: Balloon Seize Challenge
Teams compete to gather and hold the most balloons without dropping them.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, An open space
How to Play:
- Players try to grab and hold as many balloons as possible.
- The team with the most balloons held at the end of the time wins.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Add a rule where players can’t use their arms to hold balloons.
- Play with different-sized balloons to make it more difficult.
Game 14: Balloon Face Off
Teams face off in a game where they must keep balloons in the air while completing challenges.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, An open space
How to Play:
- Teams try to keep their balloons in the air while completing various challenges.
- The last team with their balloon still in the air wins.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Set up multiple challenges to keep the game exciting.
- Use a countdown timer to add pressure during challenges.
Game 15: Balloon Burst
Kids try to burst each other’s balloons by tying them to their ankles and stomping on them.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, String, An open space
How to Play:
- Tie a balloon to each child’s ankle.
- The goal is to stomp on and pop other players’ balloons while protecting your own.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Play in teams and see which team can keep their balloons intact the longest.
- Use different colored balloons for each team.
Game 16: Balloon Face Race
Pairs of kids race while balancing a balloon between their foreheads.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, An open space
How to Play:
- Kids pair up and place a balloon between their foreheads.
- They must race to the finish line without dropping the balloon.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Set up an obstacle course to make the race more challenging.
- Use different sizes of balloons to change the difficulty.
Game 17: Balloon Seize
Children try to gather as many balloons as possible in a limited time without dropping them.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, An open space
How to Play:
- Fill the area with balloons.
- Kids have a set amount of time to grab and hold as many balloons as they can.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Add a rule that kids can only use one hand to hold balloons.
- Use different sizes and shapes of balloons for variety.
Game 18: Screaming Balloons
It is a fun science-based game where kids swirl balloons with hex nuts inside to make them “scream.”
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Hex nuts
How to Play:
- Place a hex nut inside each balloon and inflate it.
- Kids swirl the balloon around to make a “screaming” noise.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Use different sizes of hex nuts to create different sounds.
- Try timing how long the kids can keep the balloon “screaming.”
Game 19: Balloon Rockets
It is a simple experiment where kids create rockets using balloons and strings.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, String, Drinking straw, Tape
How to Play:
- Thread the string through the straw and tie the string between two chairs.
- Tape a balloon to the straw, inflate it, and let it go to watch it rocket across the string.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Use different lengths of string to see how it affects the rocket speed.
- Try using different types of balloons for varied results.
Game 20: Make Balloon People
Kids create characters by drawing balloons and adding accessories.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Markers, Craft Supplies
How to Play:
- Kids draw faces and add accessories to create their balloon characters.
- Display the balloon people as a fun decoration.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Have a theme, like superheroes or animals, for the balloon people.
- Use stickers and other craft supplies to enhance the designs.
Game 21: Bouncy Balloon Painting
Children dip balloons in paint and bounce them on paper to create art.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Paint, Large paper or canvas
How to Play:
- Inflate the balloons and dip them in paint.
- Kids bounce the balloons on the paper to create unique designs.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Use different colors of paint to make vibrant patterns.
- Try using balloons of different sizes for varied effects.
Game 22: Balloon Monsters
A Halloween-themed game where kids decorate balloons as monsters.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Markers, Craft supplies
How to Play:
- Kids decorate balloons to look like spooky monsters.
- Use the monster balloons as Halloween decorations.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Have a contest for the scariest, funniest, or most creative monster.
- Use glow-in-the-dark markers or stickers for an extra spooky effect.
Game 23: Balloon Treasure Hunt
Balloons filled with clues or treasures are hidden for kids to find.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Small prizes or clues
How to Play:
- Hide balloons around the area, each with a clue or a small treasure inside.
- Kids search for the balloons and solve the clues to find the next one.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Create a storyline or theme for the treasure hunt.
- Use balloons in different colors for different levels of clues or prizes.
Game 24: Balloon & Bubble Gum Relay
Teams race to pop balloons, retrieve bubble gum, and blow bubbles.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Bubble gum, An open space
How to Play:
- Place bubble gum inside each balloon before inflating.
- Teams race to pop the balloons, get the gum, and blow a bubble.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Use different flavors of bubble gum for added fun.
- Add extra challenges, like having to blow the biggest bubble.
Game 25: Googly Balloons
Kids try to keep balloons with marbles inside afloat, adding a challenging twist.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Small marbles
How to Play:
- Place a marble inside each balloon before inflating.
- Kids must keep the balloons in the air without them touching the ground.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Use more than one marble in each balloon for extra difficulty.
- Have kids work in pairs to keep multiple balloons in the air.
Game 26: Balloon Hovercraft
Children make hovercrafts using balloons and CDs, learning about air pressure.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Old CDs, Bottle caps, Glue
How to Play:
- Attach a bottle cap with holes to the center of a CD.
- Inflate a balloon, attach it to the cap, and watch the hovercraft glide.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Decorate the CDs to personalize each hovercraft.
- Experiment with different-sized balloons to see how it affects the hovercraft’s movement.
Game 27: Bending Water with Balloon
A fun static electricity experiment where kids use balloons to bend a stream of water.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Water source
How to Play:
- Inflate the balloon and rub it on your hair to create static electricity.
- Hold the balloon near a thin stream of water and watch it bend.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Try using different materials to create static, like wool or synthetic fabric.
- Experiment with the distance between the balloon and the water to see the effect.
Game 28: Balloon Water Fight
It’s a classic water balloon fight that’s perfect for hot days.
Things You Will Need: Water balloons, Buckets, An outdoor space
How to Play:
- Fill balloons with water and divide kids into teams.
- Teams throw balloons at each other, trying to get the other team wet.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Set up barriers or forts for kids to hide behind.
- Add colored water to the balloons for a colorful splash.
Game 29: Whack the Word
Write words on balloons, and kids have to hit the correct word as they’re called out.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Marker
How to Play:
- Write words on each balloon and spread them around the play area.
- Call out a word, and kids race to find and hit the correct balloon.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Use words that the kids are learning to make it educational.
- Add a timer to see who can find and hit the correct word the fastest.
Game 30: Color Match
Kids find and group together balloons of the same color.
Things You Will Need: Balloons in different colors, An open space
How to Play:
- Scatter balloons of different colors around the area.
- Kids race to gather and group balloons by color.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Time the game to see who can group the most balloons the fastest.
- Use a mix of similar shades to make it more challenging.
Game 31: Balloon Hoopla
Teams try to throw balloons through hoops for points in this fun and energetic game.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Hoops or rings, An open space
How to Play:
- Set up hoops at varying distances from the players.
- Teams take turns throwing balloons through the hoops to score points.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Award more points for hoops that are further away.
- Use different-sized hoops to change the difficulty.
Game 32: Balloon Stuffing Race
Teams compete to stuff as many balloons as possible into oversized clothing.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Oversized clothing, An open space
How to Play:
- Each team selects one player to wear the oversized clothing.
- The rest of the team inflates balloons and stuffs them into the clothing.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Set a time limit to determine which team can stuff the most balloons quickly.
- Add a rule that only one balloon can be stuffed at a time.
Game 33: Sunny Balloon Burst
Kids use magnifying glasses to pop balloons with focused sunlight.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Magnifying glasses, An outdoor area with sunlight
How to Play:
- Inflate balloons and tie them to a stationary object.
- Kids use magnifying glasses to focus sunlight on the balloons until they pop.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Set up multiple balloons and see who can pop theirs first.
- Try using different sizes of balloons to see which ones pop faster.
Game 34: Catch a Balloon in a Funnel
Kids use funnels to catch and keep balloons from hitting the ground.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Funnels
How to Play:
- Inflate the balloons and toss them into the air.
- Kids use funnels to catch and keep the balloons from falling.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Try catching multiple balloons at once for an extra challenge.
- Use smaller funnels to increase the difficulty.
Game 35: Pass the Balloon Game
Teams pass a balloon down a line using only their bodies without dropping it.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, An open space
How to Play:
- Teams line up and pass the balloon using only their bodies from one player to the next.
- The goal is to pass the balloon down the line without dropping it.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Add a time limit to see which team can pass the balloon the fastest.
- Use different body parts for each pass, like knees or elbows.
Game 36: Ice Balloons
Kids use colorful ice balloons for fun outdoor activities and creative snow sculptures.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Water, Food coloring, Freezer, Scissors
How to Play:
- Fill balloons with colored water and freeze them.
- Once frozen, cut off the balloon to reveal the colorful ice.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Use the ice balloons to create snow sculptures.
- Experiment with mixing different colors in one balloon for a tie-dye effect.
Game 37: Glow Balloon Races
Glow sticks inside balloons make for an exciting night-time race.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Glow sticks, An open space
How to Play:
- Insert a glow stick into each balloon before inflating it.
- Kids race to a finish line while carrying or bouncing the glowing balloons.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Have the race in a dark or dimly lit area for a better glow effect.
- Add obstacles to the race course for added challenge.
Game 38: Bubble Butt
It’s a game where kids race to pop balloons by sitting on them.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, An open space, Chairs (optional)
How to Play:
- Inflate balloons and place them on chairs or the ground.
- Kids race to the balloons, sit on them, and try to pop them as quickly as possible.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Time each child to see who can pop their balloon the fastest.
- Use different sizes of balloons for varying difficulty levels.
Game 39: Balloon Roundup
Using brooms, kids maneuver balloons into a designated area.
Things You Will Need: Balloons, Brooms, String, or tape to mark the area
How to Play:
- Inflate balloons and scatter them around the play area.
- Kids use brooms to sweep the balloons into a marked area.
Tips for Making the Game More Interesting:
- Please set up an obstacle course for kids to navigate with their balloons.
- Use different colored balloons and assign each child a specific color to round up.
Summing It Up
Balloons are more than just party decorations. They’re tools for fun, learning, and bonding.
The balloon games for kids we’ve shared offer ways to keep kids active, boost their skills, and create lasting memories. These activities don’t need fancy equipment or big budgets.
They show that everyday items can become sources of joy with some creativity. We hope these ideas inspire you to try new games with the kids in your life.
Remember, the best part of the play is the laughter and connections it creates.
So, grab some balloons and start a new adventure with your little ones. Have you tried any of these games?
We’d love to hear about your experiences. Share your favorite balloon game moments in the comments below!
