Disclaimer: This project takes a while and gets quite messy. That being said, given the amount of geography learning that results, it is well worth it! While painting the continents on their globes, my students learn so much about scale, landmark features, and the placement of the continents in relation to each other. (For example, did you know that Antarctica’s “finger” points at the southern tip of South America? You would if you made a balloon globe!)
There are many Web sites with directions about making papier-mâché balloon globes, but my favorite directions are from PBS Kids. Since most balloons aren’t really spherical, I buy punch ball balloons instead.
Have your students first rub a thin film of Vaseline or oil on their balloons, or else the balloon will stick to the newspaper and damage the globe as it deflates. Use any papier-mâché recipe you like. I prefer Elmer’s art paste, but any standard recipe will work. I have my students cover their balloons with four layers of newspaper to create sturdy spheres. They paint over the newspaper with white acrylic gesso. Next, they trace paper cutouts of the continents onto their globes. Finally, they use acrylic paint to decorate their globes.