Sometimes all you need for quality play time with a baby is… one balloon!

We had an old helium balloon that’s been on the ceiling since Veronika’s birthday over a month ago. Today I fetched it down and we played in two distinct ways.

For the first, I tied the string tightly to a toy so that the balloon was at her eye level.

Now she could give it a bop with her hands, and watch it bob back and forth. She really wanted to get that balloon!

Next, we played with the balloon in the opposite way, setting it free instead of tying it down. I untied the string, but popped a small hole in the foil. Now when we tossed it in the air, it floated down just gently and slowly enough to her face.

She loved watching it descend and catching it, at which point she would smash it between her hands. We did this over and over.

I loved the wonder in her face as we set the balloon aloft.

There is tons of fun to be had, in sum, with just one item.