Black Glue Hot Air Balloon Art for Kids

Learn how to use black glue to take any kids art idea from classic to amazing. This Black Glue Hot Air Balloon is a great art project for kids of all ages. Use it at home or as part of a transport theme in your classroom.

Disclosure: Adult supervision is required for all activities at all times. Some of the links provided in this blog are affiliate links. I will be paid a commission if you use this link to make a purchase.

More Transport Themed Arts and Crafts for Kids

If your children love amazing machines, then check out these other vehicle craft ideas. They’re perfect for preschool and kindergarteners.

For more ideas, take a look at these 60 Transportation Arts and Crafts for Kids.

Materials Needed

Black Glue
Watercolor paper
Watercolor paints
Paint brushes
Pencil and eraser

You can easily buy pre-made black glue for all of your craft projects. This is great not only for kids craft ideas, but also for adult crafts or anytime you want to repair something that is black itself and you don’t want the join to be obvious.

How to make a Hot Air Balloon Picture

1. Draw a hot air balloon.

Use a pencil to draw the outline of a hot air balloon on your paper. I found that the easiest way for younger children to do this is to:

Trace around a small paper plate for the balloon section.
Draw a small square at the bottom of the page for the basket.
Draw straight lines from the basket to the balloon, to connect the two.

2. Trace over the lines with black glue.

To make your own black glue, simply mix a few drops of black gel food coloring into a bottle of school glue.

I’ve also tried the method of mixing black paint in with the glue instead. However, I find that they don’t always mix nicely. Whereas black food coloring has never failed to work.

3. Let the black glue dry.

Drawing with the glue bottle may be too tricky for young kids. If you’re doing this art activity with preschoolers, you can prepare this step for them the day before.

4. Paint your picture.

Use watercolor paints to decorate your hot air balloon artwork.

Of course, you can use whatever kind of paint that you already have on hand. I personally like to use watercolors for black glue art, because they don’t obscure the glue when you paint over it. So even if your kids paint over the lines, the overall outline of the picture will still stand out beautifully.

5. Let your picture dry.

What You’re Learning

Creativity

Let your kids experiment with different shapes and colors when they make their own hot air balloon picture. Maybe they would prefer:

A different shape balloon or basket (e.g. a heart shaped balloon)
Draw people standing inside the basket.
Draw a funny face, or different patterns on the balloon instead of stripes.

Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills refer to the small muscles in the hand and fingers. Developing these skills are important in being able to write when the kids go to school, as well as being able to complete tasks independently. (For example, dressing and feeding themselves).

Drawing with the pencil, glue bottle and holding a paintbrush are all going to help young kids develop:

Tripod grasp (pencil)
Palmar grasp (glue bottle)
Hand-eye coordination
Dexterity
Hand strength

Science

This is the perfect opportunity to talk to your kids about how hot air balloons work. You can discuss:

What makes hot air balloons rise?
What determines the direction they go?
How do we get them to land?

Planning and Organization

This black glue hot air balloon craft has several steps that need to be done in a specific order for this picture to work. For example, you need to wait for the black glue to dry first, before painting it. Otherwise your colors will run together and look muddy.

Organizing the required materials beforehand, as well as planning out each step before you do it, is a great way for kids to strengthen their executive functioning skills.

Are you going to make this Black Glue Hot Air Balloon with your kids?
Don’t forget to pin the idea for later.