This paper balloon feelings craft for kids is an easy hands-on way to explore emotions in a fun way. Helping kids talk about their feelings doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple craft and a little creativity.
Using a free printable balloon template, kids can color, cut, and create balloons that show different feelings. It’s a frugal social-emotional learning activity that works well at home, in classrooms, or during small groups. And because it’s so easy to customize, you can adjust it to fit your child’s age, mood, or learning style.
Why I Love Using Crafts to Talk About Feelings
With my background in psychology and experience as a mental health therapist, I know how important it is for kids to learn about their feelings. But, emotions can be tricky. They’re abstract concepts and that can make them hard for children (and adults!) to understand or explain.
That’s why I’ve always loved using books and hands-on activities to explore emotions in a more concrete and approachable way. When my boys were younger, we often used simple things like balloons and markers to draw different facial expressions. Those little moments of helped us connect and practice communicating about feelings.
This paper balloon feelings craft is inspired by those experiences. It keeps the idea simple while giving kids a creative way to show how they’re feeling. By turning emotions into something they can see and hold, it becomes easier to talk about what’s going on inside.
Sometimes, the best conversations happen when kids are busy creating. And this activity is one of those gentle and meaningful ways to make that happen.
All About This Paper Balloon Feelings Craft
The paper craft is a hands-on social-emotional learning activity to let kids explore and talk about their emotions. Using a free printable balloon template, kids color, cut, and create balloons that show different feelings.
Each balloon becomes a visual way for kids to express how they’re feeling. They can draw facial expressions, write emotion words, and even add yarn for a balloon string. It’s a creative activity that opens the door to meaningful conversations without forcing them.
Plus, this craft is budget-friendly and easy to prep, using supplies you probably already have at home or in your classroom.
Supplies Needed:
- Printed balloon template – free instant download (optional)
- Coloring tools (crayons, colored pencils, markers, even water color paints)
- Scissors
- Yarn, string, or ribbon
- Tape
Why This Feelings Craft Helps Kids Open Up About Emotions
Talking about emotions doesn’t always come naturally to kids. Big feelings can feel confusing, overwhelming, or hard to put into words. And it can be especially hard when children don’t yet have the language to explain what’s going on inside.
This feelings balloon craft turns emotions into something visual and hands-on. When kids draw faces and label emotions, they’re practicing emotional awareness in a way that feels safe and approachable. Instead of being asked to explain how they feel, they can show it through their creations.
Crafting also creates a relaxed environment. As kids color and work with their hands, conversations often have a more natural flow. There’s less pressure and more space for kids to share at their own pace.
Another benefit is flexibility. Kids can make balloons for emotions they’re currently feeling or for feelings they recognize in others. This opportunity helps build empathy, emotional vocabulary, and communication skills over time.
Simple activities like this one gently support social-emotional learning by meeting kids where they are and giving them tools to understand and express their feelings.
Ways to Use This Feelings Craft at Home or School
You can use this paper craft in different settings and adapt it to fit your kids and your day. A few ideas for home, homeschool, and classroom are:
- Use it during morning time or a relaxed afternoon activity.
- Invite kids to create a balloon that shows how they’re feeling that day.
- Add it to quiet time as a calming creative activity.
- Hang finished balloons on a wall as a feelings display.
- Revisit the balloons later to talk about how feelings can change.
- Use it as part of a social-emotional learning lesson.
- Let students choose or be assigned an emotion to explore.
- Pair it with a book about feelings to get a chat going.
For Extra Connection:
- Make balloons together and talk as you work.
- Ask kids to explain the face they drew or the emotion they chose.
- Encourage kids to create balloons for emotions they see in others.
This activity gives your children a gentle way to explore emotions and feel understood.
Make This Feelings Activity Work for Different Ages
This paper balloon feelings craft is easy to adapt for different ages and stages. A few small tweaks can help it grow with your kids and meet them right where they are.
For Younger Kids (Preschool–Early Elementary):
- Focus on a few basic emotions like happy, sad, angry, and excited.
- Let kids draw simple faces instead of worrying about details.
- Say the emotion words out loud together as they work.
- Keep conversations short and relaxed.
For Elementary-Age Kids:
- Encourage kids to label their balloons with emotion words. Write out the word for them to copy or trace, if necessary.
- Ask them to create balloons for different situations or experiences.
- Talk about what those feelings might look like or feel in their bodies.
- Invite them to share when they’ve felt that emotion before.
For Older Kids:
- Challenge them to create balloons for more complex emotions like frustrated, nervous, proud, or disappointed.
- Ask reflective questions like, “What helps when you feel this way?”
- Use the balloons as prompts for journaling or writing.
- Discuss how feelings can overlap or change over time.
When You’re Ready to Go Deeper with Feelings and Emotions
If you’d like more ideas like this one, you can learn more about my SEL Feelings Activity Pack for Kids. It’s a collection of hands-on activities and gentle prompts designed to help kids explore emotions in kid-friendly ways.
Helping kids understand their feelings doesn’t have to be complex or overwhelming. Small moments, simple activities, and creative connections can go a long way. Whether you start with this paper balloon craft or build on it over time, you’re giving your kids valuable tools to understand themselves and communicate with confidence.
And that matters now and for years to come!
