As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Make this 3D Heart Hot Air Balloon Craft for kids! A simple and adorable hot air balloon craft for preschool and elementary students using layered paper hearts.
3D Heart Hot Air Balloon Craft
Float into creativity with this adorable 3D Hot Air Balloon craft! Kids will love layering colorful paper hearts to build their own vibrant balloons, complete with a hand drawn woven basket and “fluffy” paper clouds. It’s a fun craft that lets kids explore color and dimension while creating something they’ll be proud to hang up.
If you’re looking for a hot air balloon craft for preschool or early elementary kids, this one is simple to prep, easy to assemble, and turns out adorable every time. The 3D layered hearts give it that extra “wow” factor without making it complicated. It’s perfect for little hands to practice their cutting and folding skills!
Why This Hot Air Balloon Craft Is So Fun
There’s something magical about hot air balloons and kids love the idea of something floating high in the sky. Making our layered hearts into a 3D shape gives the balloon a fun effect that makes them pop right off the page.
This heart hot air balloon craft is:
- 💗 It pops off the page. The layered hearts create a 3D effect that feels impressive (even though it’s simple to make!).
- 🎨 They get to play with color. Mix shades of pinks and reds, try an ombre look, or even create a rainbow balloon.
- ✂️ Folding + gluing = hands-on fun. Little hands stay busy in the best way.
- ☁️ They can design the sky. Add clouds, sunshine, birds, or even another balloon floating nearby.
Materials Needed To Make A 3D Heart Hot Air Balloon Craft
- Hot Air Balloon Template
- Cardstock, Light blue (for background piece)
- Cardstock, white (for clouds)
- Cardstock, in various colors (for your hot air balloons)
- Cardstock, Brown (for the basket)
- Brown Marker
- Glue or Double Sided Tape (we prefer to use a glue stick instead of liquid glue)
How to Make a Popsicle Stick Airplane
STEP ONE:
- Using our hot air balloon template, cut out your heart and basket pieces. You will need 3 hearts per balloon you choose to do. We fit three on our background piece (8.5 in. x 11 in.) but you can choose to do make two or just one hot air balloon in the middle of your paper.
STEP TWO:
- Fold your hearts in half. Glue one half of your heart to a second heart. Repeat gluing half of the hearts until all four hearts are glued together. Fan them open. (See video below if needed)
STEP THREE:
- Use a brown marker to draw horizontal lines across your basket piece, then add small vertical lines to create a woven look. For older crafters, you can show them how to stagger the vertical lines in each row to make the basket appear more realistic.
STEP FOUR:
- Glue your hearts in your desired place onto your blue background piece.
- Glue your baskets underneath your hearts but leave a small space.
- Glue your clouds to your desired areas.
STEP FOUR:
- Trim off the excess clouds to fit on the page.
- Using your brown marker, draw lines from the bottom of the heart to the basket.
For More “Up in the Sky” Crafts Try These:
