Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read
How to Make a Balloon Hat : Antennae or Antlers
Another balloon tutorial that you didn’t need in your life is here! For my husband’s outdoorsy themed steak cake (see that here) I used décor to match, including a balloon hat I created myself. After some experimenting, I came up with a fun one and in this tutorial, I’ll show and tell you how to make a balloon hat shaped like bug antennae or antlers for your own party décor.
The Inspiration: Our love of the mountain creatures
My husband and I love the mountains, and in thinking about our future mountain home, I thought of the deer we’ve encountered while hiking in the neighborhood we plan to move to. The first hat I created was in blues and greens, so I thought that was more of a bug antenna look. Then I thought about using white and brown to create a deer-like antler look, so the second experiment became that. Each one is slightly different, but you can get creative and do what works for you and your needs.
Make antennae or antlers with this tutorial
Educational Play + Physical Play for Kids
The really cool thing about the bug antenna or antler hat is the education connection. You can teach that bugs need antennas for touch, smell and sometimes hearing. See types of antennae here on the American Museum of Natural History’s website here.
When creating the deer antler version, you can teach about deer behaviors like how males will sometimes use their antlers for protection as well as to establish dominance, protection and more. The deer antennae hat can be used in a safe manor for kids to understand what male deers sometimes do with the antlers, which is “head-like” butting. Read more about the behavior here on the Mississippi State University’s website.
My antler balloon hat
My Balloon Sword
Like how you can play with the antler or antennae balloon hat (think fun but gentle head butting), you could make a balloon sword for gentle sword-like play. See the full tutorial for the balloon sword here on my website or see me create it my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:
How to Make Someone’s Day Better
Try making a balloon creation and leave it on the nightstand next to your sleeping child or grandchild, husband, wife, spouse or roommate. Or give one to a neighbor. If they like these little things, you’ll make their day get off to a great start! You can even use a permanent marker (my kit came with one) to add details and I did to my neighbor’s balloon puppy, adding a face and the puppy’s name to the collar area. (Link to my balloon puppy at the bottom of this article).
How Long Do the Balloon Creations Last?
Mine get tiny after week 1. When I wake up and see my balloon creations, even when they are shrinking, it just makes me smile. Those little happy moments, especially when you first wake up, can make your whole day better.
Now for the tutorial. Here’s what you need:
Balloon animal kit (I used this one from Amazon, by Dan&Darci, which came with instructions, balloons and the pump and it’s a really well thought out “workshop”)
Notes: I tested other balloons (some metallic ones I tried were pretty terrible and I sent them back) too but the ones in my kit were really, really good. Funny thing is that not all balloons are created equal. The ones in my kit were very durable, stretchy and easy to work with. The booklet was pretty good that came with the kit and takes you through many tutorials with codes to watch videos. Also note that practice makes perfect! The first one you create may not be exactly the way you want it, but keep trying!
There are many other kits online and in stores and here’s some to try if you want:
Learn & Climb Balloon Sculpting Kit for Beginners, Amazon, $17
Deluxe Balloon Animal Kit with Web App, Amazon, $20
How to Make Balloon Animals Kit, Walmart, $15
Way to Celebrate! Twist and Shape Party Balloon Kit, Walmart, $4
100 piece Vibrant Balloons Kit, $5, Temu (If you are a new Temu app user, use code afe55197 or my link here for 30% off)
Just need the balloons? Target has them here.
Check out my 1-minute video tutorial for this project on my TikTok now or coming soon here and to my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden!
How-To:
Select 3 balloon colors (I chose one color for the “crown” part and two of the same colors for the antennae or antlers) and one place on the pump. I held onto the balloon at the pump tip and pumped air into the balloon. If you don’t hold it on the end, it may fly off when you start pumping.
The balloon “antlers”
Pump up each of your balloons all the way, then let out a tiny bit of air to make sure it stays flexible. You can feel the difference….if it has too much air, it will feel very tight and not as “bendy”. If it has the right amount of air, it will bend, be flexible, but still look fully blown up. Knot the balloons.
The base of the balloon hat
Hold one balloon (the one you want to be the “crown” or the part that circles your head/base of the hat) and curve it around your head for measurement. Pinch and twist together the part closest to your head several times to lock it in place. It will look like a loop. You can either leave the “ends” loose and let that be the back of the hat OR you can make that be the front of the crown like I did in my deer antler version.
The design if you choose the ends to be in the front
Bring the ends to the front of the crown and stack them on top of the balloon “circle”.
Attaching the antenna or antler to the balloon hat base
While holding one of the balloon ends, thread a second balloon (the antler or antenna) thorough the loop and then twist several times to secure it to the balloon crown/base. This will hold the loop end down, and give the front of your hat a little more design. Repeat on the other side with the last balloon.
Bend to sculpt the balloon
Lastly, you can bend and shape the antennae or antler by gently bending the balloons up and down. It will hold its shape and look curved like an antenna or antler.
A finished bug antennae balloon hat
As I said above, the balloon will deflate about 50% in the first week, so your bow will gradually get smaller. Use them for cute birthday hats, for teaching about deer or bug behavior (as I wrote in this article) or for whenever you need a little joy in your life.
If you loved this article, then we know you’ll love this one too: How to Make a Balloon Puppy Dog for Your Loves
Carolyn J. Braden is the owner of Carolyn’s Blooming Creations is a regular contributor and editor for CBC. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.