How to Make a Balloon Giraffe

Have you ever wanted to make a balloon giraffe, but didn't know where to start? Practice these simple steps, and you'll be a pro in no time!

1. Inflate the balloon. Leave about two-three inches un-inflated at the end before you tie-off. A hand pump works best for this - not only are they more sanitary, but it is also difficult to inflate long balloons by mouth.
2. 

    First, make the nose.
   First, make the nose. Starting at the knot, take a section about three inches from the top and twist two-three times. Hold the section to keep it from unraveling.
3. 

    Next make the ears.
   Next make the ears. Twist off 2 two-inch sections. Keep holding all of the sections.
4. 

    Twist the ears together.
   
   Twist the ears together. Fold between the ears so the nose and first ear section are along the length of the balloon. The ends of the ears should line up. While holding the nose and body in one hand, twist the ears with the other hand. Now you should have a nose, ears, and a long body.
5. 

    Next make the neck.
   Next make the neck. The length of the neck should be about nine inches - long enough to make it clear that this is a giraffe! Twist off the neck section and hold it (like inStep 2).
6. 

    Twist off 2 leg sections.
   Twist off 2 leg sections. These are usually about 3-4 inches. Continue to hold all of the sections.
7. 

    Twist the legs together.
   Twist the legs together. Using the same method as you did in Step 4, fold between the leg sections and twist them together.
8. 

    Next make the body.
   Next make the body. Take enough balloon to create the body (but keep in mind that you'll need 6-8 inches for the hind legs!) and twist off the section.
9. 

    Next make the hind legs.
   
   Next make the hind legs. Twist off 2 three-four inch sections for the legs. Fold and twist using the method from Step 4; the remaining balloon becomes the tail. TA-DA! you have a giraffe!

• Practice! Practice! Practice! It may take a long time to become comfortable twisting and manipulating balloons, but it does get easier!
• Don't worry if the balloon pops. This happens often, especially in the beginning. If you have an audience, laugh it off.
• Get creative! The giraffe is a long-necked variation of the basic balloon dog. Once you've mastered this shape, you can tweak it to make dogs, dinosaurs, lions, etc.
• Have fun!

• Balloons can be a choking hazard for small children.

• Long balloons
• Hand pump
• Sharpie (optional, for drawing a face)
• Eye stickers (optional)