Make a Hot Air Balloon
Make a colorful paper hot air balloon model using tissue paper, string, and a small lightweight basket, learning how warm air helps balloons rise.
Step-by-step guide to make a hot air balloon
Step 1
Gather all your materials on a clean flat table so everything is ready and easy to reach.
Step 2
Cut eight equal rectangles from the tissue paper about the size of your hand to make the balloon panels.
Step 3
Lay the eight tissue panels side by side in a color pattern you like with small overlaps so the edges meet.
Step 4
Glue or tape each overlapping edge to the next panel so the panels form a long cylinder.
Step 5
Cut four pieces of string about 15 centimeters long each and set them nearby.
Step 6
Pinch and gather one end of the tissue cylinder into a rounded top and wrap a short piece of string tightly around the gathered tissue to knot and hold the dome shape.
Step 7
Keep the other end open and use tape or a stapler to attach the four string pieces evenly spaced around the open rim so they hang down like legs.
Step 8
Tie the four loose ends of the strings to the four sides of your small basket or paper cup so the basket hangs centered under the open rim.
Step 9
Trim any rough edges and add bright decorations or extra tissue flaps so your balloon looks colorful and neat.
Step 10
With an adult nearby, turn a hair dryer to a low warm setting and hold the open rim of your balloon a safe distance above the dryer so warm air can flow in and you can watch the balloon inflate and try to rise.
Step 11
Share a photo of your finished colorful hot air balloon model and what you learned about warm air on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I use if I can't find tissue paper or the exact strings called for?
If you don't have tissue paper, use lightweight crepe paper, coffee filters, or napkins cut into the eight hand-sized rectangles and substitute thin craft twine or sewing thread for the four 15-centimeter strings when following the cutting and panel-gluing steps.
My balloon collapses or the strings pull out when I try to tie the basket—what should I do?
If the gathered dome or open rim rips or the strings tear out, reinforce the rim by wrapping a strip of clear tape or folded paper around the open edge before taping or stapling the four strings in place and retie the knots securely to the small basket or paper cup.
How can I change this activity for different ages so it's safe and fun?
For younger children, pre-cut the eight tissue panels and pre-measure the 15-centimeter strings and help with stapling and hair-dryer use, while older kids can design complex color patterns, add extra tissue flaps, and experiment with hair dryer distance and airflow to observe lift.
How can we make the hot air balloon more interesting or perform better?
Personalize and improve performance by adding lightweight stickers or extra tissue flaps in the decoration step, swapping the paper cup for a small foam basket for stability, and testing tiny paperclip weights tied to the strings to balance the basket for steadier lift with the hair dryer.
Watch videos on how to make a paper hot air balloon model
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Facts about hot air balloon science
🧭 Hot air balloons can't steer like a car; pilots change altitude to catch winds going in different directions to travel.
🔥 Hot air rises because it is less dense than cold air — that difference in density creates the lift that makes balloons float.
🧺 The basket under a hot air balloon is called a gondola and is often made of wicker because wicker is lightweight and strong.
🎈 The Montgolfier brothers launched the first public hot air balloon in 1783 using paper and cloth heated by a fire.
🎨 Tissue paper is perfect for colorful paper balloons — it's light, translucent, and easy to layer for vivid patterns.
How do I make a colorful paper hot air balloon model with my child?
What materials do I need to make a paper hot air balloon?
What ages is a tissue-paper hot air balloon activity suitable for?
What safety tips should I follow when making a paper hot air balloon?
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