Balloon animals

I have to thank Pearl’s aunt and uncle for making me the coolest Mum on the birthday party circuit this year.  You see, they gave her a balloon-animal-making kit.  It came with an instruction booklet, about a dozen balloons, a pump, and some eye stickers.  Some of the eyes look like they have long curly eyelashes.

Now, I have attempted balloon animals once before, a couple of years ago, so I am not a complete novice.  Just a nearly-complete novice.  I was still quaking when Pearl blithely suggested I make animals for her friends at her party.  But it worked a treat, and really isn’t as hard as you might think.

Each girl carefully scrutinised the “catalogue” (instruction booklet), and pointed out the design she wanted.  A small strategic error on my part, but luckily for me seven-year-old girls are very suggestible.  Once the first one (bless her heart!) had decided she wanted the “basic animal”, most of the others followed suit.  One or two asked for something else, a “rabbit” or “poodle”.  I nodded and smiled.  None of them seemed to notice or mind that the animals they got looked not much like anything they had asked for, or indeed much like anything in the book.  They were too busy choosing eyes and lashes for their new pets.

I didn’t pop any of the balloons, and the “show” – and the choosing of eyes – filled a satisfying amount of time between lunch and cake.

There are still balloons left over.  If Pearl wants one that looks like something in the book, she can have a go at making it herself.  In fact, if it’s still raining tomorrow morning, that would be quite a good indoor activity.