How to Make a Stress Ball
Homemade stress balls are SUPER SIMPLE to make at home. You can use flour, rice, water beads, play dough, and even oobleck as a filler inside the balloon. In order to get the flour inside the balloon, you’ll also need a funnel. But no worries if you don’t have one! Simply cut the bottom off a plastic water bottle to make your own funnel. It’s easy, cheap and works like a charm! This is such a great sensory activity and a really simple craft for kids, teens, adults and seniors!
DIY Stress Ball Video Tutorial:
*Note: Scroll down for the step-by-step photo tutorial.
Here’s What You’ll Need:
How to Make a Rice Stress Ball Playdough Stress Ball Homemade Apple Stress Ball Orbeez Stress Ball
12 inch balloon flour funnel (or water bottle with the bottom cut off) pen or pencil
Homemade Stress Ball Step By Step Tutorial:
You’ll need a 12 inch regular latex/rubber balloon. Any colour. Any pattern.
How long do homemade stress balls last?
Homemade stress balls made with balloons will last anywhere from 1 week to 4 months. Balloons will degrade over time. So these stress balls won’t last forever. It really depends on the strength of your balloons (some balloons are stronger than others) and how much you squeeze or play with it. My 8 year old has been squeezing her stress ball A LOT and it only lasted 2 weeks. Luckily she noticed a small hole in it today so she played with it over the garbage can until it poofed open. So it didn’t make a mess. If you don’t play with it a lot, it will probably last 3 or 4 months. When they get old, there’s a good chance the balloon will crack and you’ll end up with a pile of flour somewhere.
They have the COOLEST squishy feeling to them!
We used regular dollar store balloons – both solid colour and polka dot balloons. The polka dot balloons were thinner, and made really soft stress balls, but they didn’t last as long. Our thicker balloons made slightly firmer stress balls, but they seem to be lasting much longer than the thin balloons.
Stress balls are perfect for busy hands and also help to calm your nerves. Squeeze them. Stretch them. Pinch them. Or knead them. Homemade stress balls are really soft and squishy and soooo satisfying!
Here’s more stress ball tutorials for you to try!
How to Make Stress Balls with Balloons and Rice
Playdough Stress Ball
How to Make an Apple Stress Ball
Orbeez Stress Ball
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
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