The Balloon Game

One of the best ways we've found to keep Adelaida occupied is with "The Balloon Game." The balloon game was designed by our neighbor Carmen, who shared the game with us when Adelaida was about two months old. Carmen had used the balloon game with her kids and introduced the game to Adelaida while watching her for me one afternoon.

The balloon game is best played by children who are not yet sitting up by themselves. To play, Adelaida lays down on her back and we tie the ribbon of a helium-filled mylar balloon to one of her appendages -- we first tied the balloon to her ankle, then later expanded to her wrist. When she sees the balloon floating above her, she looks at it and is happy, and when Adelaida is happy, she moves her hands and feet. Moving her feet causes the balloon to move, making her even happier. And thus begins a positive feedback loop!

This was a wonderful activity for her from about two months to about four months -- when she was younger than two months she didn't grasp the cause and effect concept of the balloon moving, and starting at about four months she really doesn't like to lay down on her back anymore; she's much happier sitting up. But for most of March and April, the balloon game was quite a favorite with Adelaida, and with me -- Adelaida was content to lay on the floor so many times while I made dinner or washed dishes or did laundry!