Ever wondered how to twist your way to a roarsome balloon tiger? Once you’ve got the hang of how to make and secure bubbles in a modelling balloon, this critter is pretty easy to create. In this practical step-by-step guide, we talk you through what to do.

Step 1:

Get an orange modelling balloon and inflate it, leaving an uninflated margin at the end of just over a hand’s width. 

Step 2:

Starting from the knotted end, make five bubbles by twisting the balloon. The first and last pair of bubbles should be about an inch long each, while the middle one should be a little longer. 

Step 3:

Shape the bubbles into a ring and twist them together around the base to separate them from the rest of the balloon. 

Step 4:

Next, form two more bubbles of around the same length as your third bubble in the original five. Feed these through the ring you just made with the first set of bubbles. This will form the tiger’s face. 

Step: 5:

To make the neck, form a new round bubble next to the head and hold onto it while you form a bubble of about three fingers wide and twist it to make the tiger’s first leg.

Step 6:

Continue to hold the head while twisting the next part of the balloon against the first leg to create a second leg of equal size. 

Step 7:

Firmly pinch the legs together at the base and twist both of them together to secure them. 

Step 8:

Next make an oval bubble for the body and repeat steps 6 and 7 to create the back legs. There will be a little bit of balloon left over, which is the tiger’s tail. 

The details

If you’re a beginner, you can stop there and simply finish off your tiger by drawing eyes, a nose and some stripes on it. If you’re a little more advanced you can add some details. 

Step 1:

Look at the head of your tiger from the front. The upper left and right hand bubbles will become ears if you pinch twist them. This involves pulling the bubbles away from the rest of the head slightly and pinching them with your thumb and finger. You then twist them several times to secure them. 

Step 2:

To give the tail some shape, hold both ends of the bubble that forms it and gently press it to create an S shape. Rub carefully at the folds of the S to keep them in place.

Step 3: 

Now you can draw on the features as mentioned above. 

Catch The Tiger Who Came to Tea

If you enjoyed making a balloon tiger and are looking for tiger themed family shows to watch this summer, head to the Theatre Royal Haymarket to catch The Tiger Who Came to Tea. Based on the bestselling picture book, this childrens’ play is running from 14 July - 7 September 2025 and is perfect for little ones, being just 55 minutes long with no interval. Book tickets to this Olivier Award nominated childrens’ show today and enjoy a family day out to remember.