Name of Activity: Balloon Art

Type of modality Arts&Crafts/Projects

Type of play Solitary or Parallel

Interaction pattern Extra-individual or Aggregate

# of participants required 1

Equipment/supplies Balloons & Pump

Facilities required/environment Activity can be done in any environment

Precautions Use caution tying/manipulating balloon if fingers go numb easily

Sequence/Directions (Details of how a to move through the activity from start to finish)

1. Obtain a pack of balloons specific for balloon art

2. Select a desired object to create (selections may be found in various books or online). I selected a simple balloon sword.

3. Pump or blow air into one balloon of your color choice almost completely full (leave a little room for easy manipulation).

4. Twist the end of the balloon and knot it to secure the air inside. Squeeze the balloon once it is secured to make sure it is not overfilled.

5. Fold the end of the balloon toward the middle 6-12”. While holding this fold, fold the opposite end of the balloon toward the bend so that each fold is 6-12’. (At this point one end of the balloon should have two folds and 3 balloon layers, while the other end has just one balloon layer)

6. Grasp the end of the balloon with 3 balloon layers on either bend and twist the center of the 6-12” three times to secure.

7. Once you release the balloon there should be one long end of the sword and one short end of the handle, with two flower petal-resembling handles.

Activity Analysis (What is required of this activity without any adjustments, accommodations, alterations)

Category Skills

1 Primary body position Sitting or standing

Part of the body required Arms, wrists, hands, fingers, eyes, mouth

Movement Carrying in the hands, pushing with upper extremities, twisting, tying, grasping, manipulating, pulling, turning/twisting hands/arms Physical Balance: static sitting or standing, Bilateral integration, Fine muscle coordination, visual-motor integration Cognitive Sustaining attention, Concentration, Decision making (simple), Initiation, Short-term memory, Organization & planning, Reading, Recognition of Size/shape/form, Sequencing, Strategy. Social No social skills necessary, activity may be performed alone

Perception Tactile, visual

Communication/language Reception to written language

Self-care N/A

Psychological/emotional (possible) Frustration of not being able to manipulate the balloon, pride for creating the desired object

SIMPLIFYING AND COMPLICATING THIS ACTIVITY:

Ways to SIMPLIFY demands Ways to make more COMPLEX Select simple objects to create Select complex objects to create Cognitively

Utilize balloon ties for securing Blow air into balloons as Physically end of balloon opposed to pumping

Work together to create one Socially object mutually agreed upon while all contributing equally

Other Comments: Participants really have free range on this activity. They may make it as easy or difficult as they choose. For example a beginner may choose to watch a video with step by step instructions/visuals (simplifying cognitively), utilize the pump and select very simple objects. On the other hand an expert may simply

2 read breif instructions, blow the balloon up by mouth (physically more complex) and select very complex objects.

Below is a video with visuals on how to make the sword. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st1rhmNlkE4