3D Hot Air Balloon Craft
Let’s fly up to the clouds with our own hot air balloon! This 3D hot air balloon can be made by anyone, but school-age children will really love this! You are able to make choices by using any colors and decorations that you would like! Once you have built your hot air balloon you can take to the skies and see the world! Use your imagination to explore all the places that you could travel to! You can do this craft with family members or friends and soar away together!
Supplies:
- Cardboard tube (toilet paper roll or paper towel roll)
- Seven pieces of construction paper (any colours!)
- Pipe cleaner
- Markers (optional for decoration)
- Pom poms (optional for decoration)
- Pencil or other drawing utensil
- Liquid glue
- Scissors
Let's Get Started!
Before we begin, make sure your workspace is ready to go with all of your supplies (cardboard tube, construction paper, pipe cleaner, pom poms, pencil, liquid glue, and scissors) placed on a flat surface. It is a good idea to lay some newspaper or other surface covering down to protect the surface as the glue might be messy! If you will need help cutting or gluing, make sure to have an adult nearby!
Step One: First, you are going to begin by using your pencil to draw a balloon shape on one piece of your colored construction paper. This shape might also look like a raindrop or a lightbulb! The balloon can be as big or small as you would like! I used pink paper, but you can use any colors that you like!
Tip: You will want to make sure that your balloon is as symmetrical as possible. This means that it looks the same on all sides!
Step Two: Next, you are going to cut out your balloon shape. Using your scissors, follow the shape that you drew and cut out the balloon that you have just created. If you need help cutting out this shape, ask an adult for help!
Step Three: Once you have cut out one balloon shape we are going to make some more! Using the first balloon that you cut out, lay the shape down on the paper, and use your pencil to trace around your balloon on your other pieces of construction paper. Using your scissors, follow the shape that you drew and cut out the new balloon that you have just created! Do this for each of your colors of construction paper!
Step Four: Take each of your balloon cutouts and fold them in half the long way (like a hot dog bun!). Line up the edges of the balloon and make a hot dog fold along the middle. Fold each of the balloon cutouts that you made.
Step Five: Now, once each of your balloons are folded, grab your glue. Take one balloon cutout and put some glue on the outside edge of one half of the balloon. Once you have done this, glue it to the opposite edge of another one of your balloons by pressing the two pieces together. Do this with each of your balloon cutouts and the 3D circle shape will start to take form! When you reach your final balloon, glue it to the other two edges to complete the circle!
Tip: Make sure that the fold of each balloon is facing each other. The folds will be on the inside and the curves of your balloons will be on the outside!
Step Six: Now we are going to make the basket of the hot air balloon using the cardboard tube. Flatten the tube slightly by folding it with a hotdog fold! Using your writing utensil, draw a line where you want to cut your tube. This will be how big your basket will be!
Tip: If you do not have a cardboard tube, you can make your own using heavy cardstock paper and rolling it and gluing it together! It may not be as strong as a cardboard tube but that is okay!
Step Seven: Using your scissors, cut the tube along the line that you drew. If you need help cutting the tube, ask an adult for help! Keep the part that you want to be your basket, and the other part can be set aside for another fun activity or it can be recycled.
Step Eight: Now is time to attach your cardboard tube basket to your balloon! Take your pipe cleaner and bend it into a U shape. Take the curved part and place it into the basket so that the two ends are pointing upwards. Glue the curved end to the inside of the basket. Press for 20-30 seconds so the glue will stick. Then, take the two ends and glue them to the sides of your 3D balloon. Press that for 20-30 seconds so it will stick. Allow time for the glue to dry.
Step Nine: Now that your hot air balloon is all put together, you get to decorate it however you like! Use your imagination to decorate your balloon and basket however you choose! You can draw fun patterns or designs with a marker (spots, stripes, zig zags, stars, etc.) or you can add fun decorations of your choosing. I drew stars and used poms poms to decorate my basket! You can do whatever you like!
Step Ten: You are all finished! Enjoy flying and exploring with your hot air balloon!