Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Button an inflated balloon
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Buttoning a balloon can seem very tricky. But as with shoelaces, once you have perfected the art, you will quickly forget that it could once have been so frustrating. Your fingers are more nimble than you realize, they just need a little more instruction.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Button an inflated balloon

1. Understand the parts of a balloon. In order to understand these instructions, we need to know how to refer to each part of the balloon that we are dealing with. Memorizing or listing these terms will make the task at hand a lot easier.
   • The body is what we might consider the most important part of the balloon; it is the spherical or oval space that we fill with air.
   • The lip is that ring of thicker material that surrounds the opening of the balloon, the air hole.
   • The neck is the slightly elongated part between the body and the lip.
2. Let the loop slide forward, off your fingers. The weight of the water should tighten the knot for you, completing the process. Your water balloon is now ready for use!

Tips

• Did you know that instead of helium, hydrogen was initially used to float balloons? This was abandoned after it was discovered, surprisingly, that filling balloons with highly flammable gas was a bad idea.
• Once you've mastered the basics, you can move on to the next step: balloon animals!

Warnings

• Be careful about buttoning a balloon - you can hurt your fingers from the rubbing of the rubber.
• Use balloons suitable for their intended use. Water balloons are small and pop easily. Long, thin balloons are specially designed to spin and make balloon animals, and latex balloons are specially designed for helium or oxygen. Filling latex balloons with water, for example, can hurt someone if they don't pop or irritate someone with a latex allergy.
• Shredded balloons are dangerous for pets and small children. If and when balloons burst, throw them away immediately. Leaving water balloon fragments scattered around your yard can be dangerous for nearby animals who can choke on them.

Necessities

• Balloons of your choice