How To Tie A Balloon (with Pictures) - WikiHow

Skip to ContentQuizzes

• PRO Courses Hot Guides Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade
• QUIZZES All Quizzes Hot Love Quizzes Personality Quizzes Trivia Quizzes Taylor Swift Quizzes
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help ProAbout UsRandom ArticleQuizzes Request a New ArticleCommunity DashboardTrendingForums Arts and EntertainmentArtworkBooksMoviesComputers and ElectronicsComputersPhone SkillsTechnology HacksHealthMen's HealthMental HealthWomen's HealthRelationshipsDatingLoveRelationship Issues Hobbies and CraftsCraftsDrawingGamesEducation & CommunicationCommunication SkillsPersonal DevelopmentStudyingPersonal Care and StyleFashionHair CarePersonal Hygiene Quizzes Love Quizzes Personality Quizzes Fun Games Arts and EntertainmentFinance and BusinessHome and GardenRelationship Quizzes Cars & Other VehiclesFood and EntertainingPersonal Care and StyleSports and Fitness Computers and ElectronicsHealthPets and AnimalsTravel Education & CommunicationHobbies and CraftsPhilosophy and ReligionWork World Family LifeHolidays and TraditionsRelationshipsYouth
• LOG IN

  Log in

  Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. Facebook Google wikiHow Account No account yet? Create an account
• RANDOM

• Home
• Random
• Browse Articles
• TrendingNew
• Quizzes & Games
• All QuizzesHot
• Love Quizzes
• Personality Quizzes
• Fun Games
• Dating Simulator
• Learn Something New
• Forums
• Courses
• Happiness Hub
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow

• Log in / Sign up

Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow

• Categories
• Arts and Entertainment
• Fun Activities

How to Tie a Balloon Download Article Co-authored by Ahzahdeh Neshat

Last Updated: June 19, 2025 Fact Checked

Download Article

• Tying a Balloon Filled with Air
|
• Tying a Water Balloon
|
• How Do You Tie a Balloon?
|
• Video
|
• Q&A
|
• Tips
|
• Warnings
|
• Things You'll Need

|Show more |Show less ARTICLE VIDEO X

This article was co-authored by Ahzahdeh Neshat. Ahzahdeh Neshat is a Party Decorating Specialist and the Owner of Confetti & Sprinkles LLC based in Los Angeles, California. With over three years of experience, she specializes in creating extravagant balloon decor for parties and events. Ahzahdeh has created balloon decor for businesses such as MediaLab and Insomnia Cookies. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 887,416 times.

Trying to tie a balloon can be deceptively tricky. But like shoelaces before it, once you’ve perfected your form, you’ll soon forget it could ever have been so frustrating. Your fingers are more nimble than you realize—they just need a helping hand.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 2:

Tying a Balloon Filled with Air

Download Article

1. 1 Understand the anatomy of a balloon. In order to make sense of these instructions, we should know how to refer to each area of the balloon that we’ll be dealing with. Memorizing these terms—or just consulting this list if you become confused—will help immensely in the task ahead of us.
   • The body is what we might consider the main area of the balloon; it’s the spherical or oval-like chamber that we fill with air.
   • The lip is that ring of thicker material that surrounds the balloon’s opening and is where air enters and exits the balloon.
   • The neck is that slightly elongated area leading from the body to the lip.
2. 2 Blow up the balloon. Whether you’re using an air compressor, pump, or just your own good, old-fashioned lungs, start blowing into the balloon through its lip. If you’re having trouble keeping the balloon steady while you inflate it, delicately grip it by the neck.[1]
   • The balloon should feel full, but not as though it has been filled to its utmost capacity. Stop inflating once it can hold its form with little give. A balloon that’s filled too full can easily pop, and will be difficult to tie off.
   • Ensure that the balloon still has a discernible neck. If you can’t tell where the body ends and the neck begins, your balloon is likely too full.
   Advertisement
3. 3 Pinch the balloon’s neck. We need to keep the balloon inflated, so one hand should always be holding the balloon for this purpose. Pinch the neck of the balloon once it’s been sufficiently inflated.[2]
4. 4 Stretch its neck out. You’ll need the balloon’s neck good and loose for the next step, so you’ll want to gently, rapidly tug on the neck a few times with the hand you’re not using to pinch the balloon shut. Three or four times should be sufficient.[3]
   • Shoot for 3-6 inches of give when you stretch out the neck. You'll need it stretchy enough so that it can wrap around two fingers. Any less and you’ll likely have a hard time trying to tie this balloon off; any more and your balloon might not be fully inflated.
5. 5 Pinch the balloon’s neck between the index and middle fingers on one hand. The neck should be held as close to the body as you can manage, with the lip pointed toward you.
6. 6 Pull the lip toward you with your non-pinching hand. At this point, you should place the thumb of your pinching hand against the pinching hand's index finger.
7. 7 Loop the stretched length of neck over the top of your pinching hand's thumb and index finger. Bring the lip all the way around and underneath your pinching fingers, without wrapping up your middle finger.
   • If you’re unable to pull the neck far enough, this could be an indicator that your balloon is too full, or that your neck wasn’t properly stretched. Loosen your grip on the balloon to slowly, slightly deflate it.
8. 8 Transfer the lip from the looping hand to your wrapped-up finger and thumb. Your pinching hand's thumb and index finger should now have the material stretched taut across them, but your middle finger should be excluded from the loop.[4]
9. 9 Pull the lip backwards through the loop you've created. Retract your thumb and finger—now grasping the balloon’s lip—back through the loop which you’ve wrapped around them. Think of it like tying a knot in a piece of string or a shoelace.[5]
   • You should be pulling your thumb and index finger inward, toward the hand that they belong to.
10. 10 Allow the loop to slide forward off your fingers. If you kept hold of the lip, you should have created a knot. This balloon is ready to party!
Advertisement

Method 2 Method 2 of 2:

Tying a Water Balloon

Download Article

1. 1 Stretch the opening of the balloon's lip around the faucet. Hold the lip in place around your water source, to ensure that it doesn’t slip off as the balloon begins to take on water weight. If you have any trouble with slippage, use your other hand to support the expanding balloon from below.
   • The "lip" of the balloon is that thick ring of material that surrounds the balloon's opening, through which water and air can flow.
   • You should make sure the area around you can handle an accidental water balloon explosion, as even seasoned pros will have their fair share of these. Make sure there are no electronics or non-waterproof valuables nearby.
2. 2 Fill the balloon with water. Ensure you’ve firmly secured the balloon before turning on that faucet, hose, or spout. Experience will help you determine the speed at which to fill the balloon but opt for a slower pace at first, increasing water flow only as you gain practice with the procedure.
   • Water balloons are typically smaller than balloons designed to be filled with air or gas mixtures, so keep this in mind if you’re used to dealing with air-based balloons.
   • If you overfill the balloon, it will let you know by politely exploding on you. If your balloon does indeed burst, take note of the point at which this happens to ensure you don’t fill your next balloon to that point.
   • If you are going to fill lots of water, support the balloon from the bottom. Otherwise, the weight of the water will stretch the neck so much, that it will tear apart.
3. 3 Remove the water balloon from the faucet, with its neck between the index and middle fingers of one hand. The lip should be pointing up, and the weight of the full balloon should stretch its neck. If the sagging balloon doesn't appear to have enough neck—you'll likely require 2-6 inches—you've likely overfilled your balloon.
   • The "neck" of the balloon is that slightly elongated section of the balloon where the main body of the balloon meets the lip.
4. 4 Grab the lip with your free hand and loop the balloon’s neck over the top of your pinching hand's thumb and index finger. The lip should come all the way around and underneath your pinching fingers. Exclude your middle finger from this loop.
5. 5 Pass the lip from your looping hand to your wrapped-up finger and thumb. Grasp the lip with that finger and thumb.[6]
6. 6 Retract the lip, along with your finger and thumb, backward through the loop that's wrapped up around them.[7]
   • You should be pulling your thumb and index finger inward, toward the hand that they belong to.
7. 7 Allow the loop to slide forward, off your fingers. The water's weight should tighten the knot for you, completing the process. Your water balloon should now be ready to use!
Advertisement

How Do You Tie a Balloon?

Watch

Community Q&A

Search Add New Question

• Question Is it the same method to tie a water balloon as a regular balloon? Community Answer Yes, but you must be very gentle when doing so, or the water balloon will burst (or leak water everywhere while tying it). Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 35 Helpful 76
• Question What should I do if the balloon has a hole in it before inflating it? Potatoestosee Community Answer You should either patch it up with a piece of tape or a sticker or get a new balloon. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 42 Helpful 55
• Question What if my hand is too small or too big to fit into the loop of the neck and lip part? Community Answer Then you can use a piece of string, then fit it inside the loop. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 72 Helpful 35

See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement

Video

Read Video Transcript

Tips

• Did you know that instead of helium, hydrogen was initially used to make balloons float? The practice was discontinued after discovering that filling balloons with highly combustible gas was, unsurprisingly, a bad idea. Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 6
• Once you’ve mastered the basics, how about exploring the next step in ballooning: balloon animals! Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

• Be careful when tying a balloon - you may get friction burn on your fingers from the rubber. Thanks Helpful 29 Not Helpful 7
• Burst balloon pieces can be dangerous to pets and small children.[8] If and when balloons burst, throw them away immediately. Leaving water balloon fragments strewn across your yard can create a dangerous environment for neighborhood animals, who may try and eat them. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
• Use balloons appropriate for their intended use. Water balloons are designed to be small and to easily break; long, thin balloons are designed especially for twisting and making balloon animals; and latex balloons are specifically designed to hold helium or oxygen. Filling latex balloons with water, for instance, could hurt someone when they fail to burst or irritate a friend’s latex allergy. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 6

Advertisement

Things You'll Need

• Balloon(s) of your choice

You Might Also Like

How toFill Up a Water Balloon How toBlow Up a Balloon How toUntie a Balloon Easy Instructions for Using a Balloon Tying Tool How toInflate a Helium Balloon How toBlow Up Foil Balloons How toTie Balloons Together How to Make Balloon Animals: Balloon Dog, Balloon Monkey, & Balloon Swan How toPop a Balloon How toMake a Balloon Stress Ball How toMake Yarn Balloons How toBuild a Model Lung How to Make a Paper Origami Balloon The Easy Way to Tie a Perfect Bow Tie Advertisement

References

1. ↑ https://youtu.be/GikZ2__ae4Q
2. ↑ https://youtu.be/GikZ2__ae4Q?t=16
3. ↑ https://youtu.be/o4G7iF8NKJ0?t=9
4. ↑ https://youtu.be/GikZ2__ae4Q?t=21
5. ↑ Ahzahdeh Neshat. Party Decorating Specialist. Expert Interview
6. ↑ https://youtu.be/o4G7iF8NKJ0?t=20
7. ↑ https://youtu.be/o4G7iF8NKJ0?t=30
8. ↑ https://www.stlouischildrens.org/health-resources/pulse/why-are-latex-balloons-danger-children

About This Article

Co-authored by: Ahzahdeh Neshat Party Decorating Specialist This article was co-authored by Ahzahdeh Neshat. Ahzahdeh Neshat is a Party Decorating Specialist and the Owner of Confetti & Sprinkles LLC based in Los Angeles, California. With over three years of experience, she specializes in creating extravagant balloon decor for parties and events. Ahzahdeh has created balloon decor for businesses such as MediaLab and Insomnia Cookies. This article has been viewed 887,416 times. 38 votes - 76% Co-authors: 46 Updated: June 19, 2025 Views: 887,416 Categories: Fun Activities Article SummaryX

To tie a balloon, blow up your balloon, pinch the bottom of the neck with one hand, and use the other hand to stretch out the balloon’s neck a few times. Then, pull the lip of the balloon toward you with your non-pinching hand. Next, put the thumb of your pinching hand against that hand’s index finger, and loop the stretched neck over those two fingers. Finally, transfer the lip from your looping hand to your wrapped-up finger and thumb, pull the lip backward through the loop you’ve created, and let the loop slide off your fingers to create a knot. To learn how to tie a water balloon, keep reading! Did this summary help you?YesNo

In other languages Spanish German Portuguese Russian Italian French Indonesian Dutch Arabic Hindi Czech Japanese

• Print
• Send fan mail to authors

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 887,416 times.

Reader Success Stories

• 

  M. TR

  Sep 10, 2022

  "It is really easy once you have the patience and balloons." Rated this article:

More reader stories Hide reader stories Share your story

Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Ahzahdeh Neshat Party Decorating Specialist 38 votes - 76% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 46 Updated: June 19, 2025 Views: 887,416

M. TR

Sep 10, 2022

"It is really easy once you have the patience and balloons." Rated this article:

Nota Humans

Sep 16, 2020

"Finally, I learned, but my pointer finger hurts right now."

Suppy Man

Jun 17, 2020

"Loved it! Very informative!" Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

Quizzes & Games

Finish the Phrase QuizTake QuizAm I a Good Kisser QuizTake QuizHow Good Are My Survival Instincts QuizTake QuizThe Impossible QuizTake QuizWhat Instrument Should I Play QuizTake QuizWhat's My Bending Element QuizTake Quiz

You Might Also Like

How toFill Up a Water BalloonHow toBlow Up a BalloonHow toUntie a BalloonEasy Instructions for Using a Balloon Tying Tool

Trending Articles

Am I Good at Flirting QuizHow Sexual Am I QuizHow Many Secret Admirers Do I Have QuizRank My Attractiveness Quiz5 Different Types of Butts: Find Your ShapeWhat Would My Nickname Be Quiz

Watch Articles

How toImpress a Girl on a First DateWhat Are Tear Burns on TikTok and What Causes Them?How toWear a HoodieHow toChiffonadeHow toMake a Fabric RoseHow toConfront a Bully

Trending Articles

210+ Shower Thoughts: Funny, Deep, Weird & Mind-Blowing140+ Wavelength Game Categories & Questions to Extend Your PlayThe Ultimate Collection of Funny, Cheesy, & Romantic Rizz LinesWhat 16 of the Most Common Hugs MeanThe Top Emojis Guys Use when They Like or Love YouWhat Emojis Mean Sex?

Quizzes & Games

Am I Smart QuizTake QuizAm I Funny QuizTake QuizAm I Good at Flirting QuizTake QuizImpossible English TestTake QuizIQ Test For KidsTake QuizGuess the Emoji QuizTake Quiz

• Categories
• Arts and Entertainment
• Fun Activities

wikiHow Newsletter You're all set! Helpful how-tos delivered toyour inbox every week! Sign me up! By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy.

• Home
• About wikiHow
• Experts
• Jobs
• Contact Us
• Site Map
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info
• Contribute

Follow Us

×

Get all the best how-tos!

Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter

Subscribe You're all set! X --574