The humble balloon has been a source of inspiration for people of all ages. As tots, we quickly learn that a balloon is a reward, a special and delicate toy that defies gravity and must be safeguarded closely. We grow a bit older, and a balloon is an opportunity for fun static electricity experiments on friends and an easy way to make your voice sound funny.
It's in adulthood, however, where the balloon is elevated to its most elegant levels. Now this familiar childhood toy is used for grandiose sculptures, bizarre inflatable couture and scientific innovation.
Check out all iterations of the humble balloon in the cluster below.
35 Balloonovations
35
Inflatable Couture
Dresses Made Entirely of Twisted Balloons
34
Missile Balloons for Your Car
33
Sky Lanterns
Paper Hot Air Balloons, add Fire, let Go
32
Oregon Man Flies 200 miles in Lawn Chair Powered by 100 Helium Balloons
31
Balloon Couture
Daisy's Inflatable Dresses
30
Recreational Space Exploration
Ordinary Dudes Send Balloon Into Space
29
Balloon Sculptures as Art
Jason Hackenwerth's Captivating Balloons
28
Balloon-Inspired Accessories
Jewelry from Recycled Rubber
27
Glass Balloon Animals
Jeff Koons Rooftop Exhibit at the Met
26
Take a Balloon Ride up to 85,945 Feet
25
Recycled Balloon Furniture
The Balloona Stool
24
World's First Internet Balloon Race
Orange Pay As You Go Campaign
23
Solar Balloons
Sunhope
22
Floating Billboards
12 Hot Air Balloon Ads
21
Solving the Energy Crisis
10,000 Humongous Foil Balloons
20
Bubble LEDs
White Balloons Lamp
19
Balloon Art From Around The World
18
Ballooning Growth of Home Theaters
5 Wicked Themed Rooms
17
Balloon Fashion II
Haut Couture with Air
16
Inflatable Violence
The Balloon Tank
15
Air Balloon Condoms
Mile High Rubber Endorses Safe Sex
14
Balloons for Geeks
Balloon Guy's Art
13
Toy Balloons as Air Travel
Getting High with 150 Party Baloons
12
Eco Fun Packaging
Tofu & Pudding in a Balloon
11
Rude Balloon Modelling Conference
10
Balloon-Based Air Fresheners
'Fresh Blow' Disperses Deodorizers as it Whizzes Around the Room
9
Rush Hour Thought Balloons
Renault Inflatables Ad
8
Family-Friendly Airborne Festivals
New Mexico's Balloon Fiesta
7
Flying with Balloons over Brazil
Priest's Publicity Stunt Loses Air
6
Slow Motion Balloonvertising
Schweppes Ad
5
Darth Vader Hot Air Balloon
4
WiFi Balloons
Floating Cell Phone Towers
3
Anatomical Balloon Art
A Second Nature Balloonatomy
2
Balloons as Delivery Drivers' GPS
Pink Flamingo Pizza's Inflatables Help Mark the Spot
1
Freestyle Airborne Film Directing
The Balloon Project
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Film-Celebrating Pool Floaties
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Aquatic Amphibian Children's Toys
The Conceptual 'Tacos Frog' Helps Kids Learn About Ecosystems
Bubble-Inspired Pendant Lights
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Invisible Furniture Capsules
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Collectible Kawaii Figurines
The Sanrio Hello Kitty Funko Pop! Figures Celebrate 50 Years
Lab-Themed Hair Pop-Ups
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Ship-Like Food Containers
The 'Float' Food Storage Container by Wonjun Jo is Playful
Celebratory Audio Lollipops
TastySounds' AudioLollipop Plays Happy Birthday via Bone Conduction
Logo-Shaped Sportswear Pillows
The Nike Birthday Pillow Gift Box is a Hong Kong Exclusive
Furniture Waste-Made Toys
ÉCAL Students Redefine What a Sustainable Toy Is
Gummy Bear Toys
Gummymals are Squeezable Toys with 20 Different Interactions
Galactic-Themed Pen Holders
The UFO Desk Pen Holder Appears to be Levitating in the Air
Floating Marble Cosmic Clocks
Zanwen Li Designs the Mobius Calendar Clock with Two Marbles
Deflated Balloon-Covered Heels
Loewe's Deflated Balloon Pumps Almost Look Like Ruffles
Pump-Up Plush Toys
Little Biggies' Patented Pump Packaging Provides a Unique Unboxing Experience
Introductory STEM Toy Sets
The Zig & Go from Djeco Combines Music and Forces in an Educational Toy
Balloon Dog Cakes
This Cake Pays Homage to Jeff Koons' Balloon Dog Sculpture
Colourful Ambient Lamp Designs
The Neon Crystal Cube by ZK Wong Combines Art and Utility
Featherlight Inflatable Bike Helmets
The 'Inflabi' Bike Helmet is Ready to Use in 20-Seconds
Pasta-Inspired Inflatable Pool Noodles
The Standard and Jumbo Launch the Pool Pasta Collection
New York-Inspired Picnic Series
Nik Bentel's New York Picnic Series is Whimsical & Eye-Catching
Nature-Inspired Pet Toys
A Team of Designers Create the Unique Triangle Toy for Pets
Cartoon Glove Coffee Tables
The 'Voila!' Coffee Table Takes After a Recognizable Form
Adorable Organic Stuffed Animals
Estella Boasts a Range of Eye-catching Handmade Toys
Playful Restaurant Pop-Ups
The Play-Doh Restaurant of Imagination Turns Kids' Creations Edible
Whimsical Pool-Inspired Exhibitions
Cj Hendry Showcases Her Public Pool Exhibition
Opulent Baby Expansive Collections
Louis Vuitton Presents its First Baby Collection
Space-Exploring STEAM Toys
LeapFrog's Magic Adventures™ Line Arrives for Kids Five and Up
Calming Fun-Loving Candle Collections
Unbound Glo Offers a Range of Scents That Reduce Stress
Floating Multi-Person Water Hammocks
The BOTE Inflatable Hangout Water Hammock Comes in Two Sizes
Inaugural Paper Lantern Festivals
Singapore Will Host Its First Sky Lantern Festival
Creativity Time Capsules
Crayola's Campaign for Creativity Reunites Adults with Childhood Art
Rechargeable Child Rocket Kits
The National Geographic Power Rocket Reaches Heights of 200-Feet
Anime-Inspired Vehicle Cushions
The 'Frieza Pod Cushion' Lets Dragon Ball Fans Relax Like Frieza
Whimsical Inflatable Sneaker Concepts
UV-Zhu Uses Daily Objects for His Nike Concept Sneaker
Snowglobe-Inspired Dynamic Clocks
The Interactive Time to Snow Timepiece has a Snow-Like Design
Balloon-Like Seating Collections
Seungjin Yang Drew Inspirations from His Childhood
Edible Slime Candies
This Slime Candy Turns Sugar Into a Soft, Stretchy Treat
Socializing-Centric Tiny Dwellings
The 'Buttercup' Tiny Home Lets You Have Guests Over
Calming Orb Lamps
Studio Waah's Orb Lamp is Minimalist and Eye-Catching
Temperature-Resistant Delivery Drones
DJI's 'FlyCart 30' Offers Reliable Aerial Package Deliveries
Bubble Wrap-Inspired Luxury Bags
Bottega Veneta's Cabat Bag is Extravagant and Cheeky
Upcycled Tutu Couture
Aelis FW23 Repurposes Tutus from the Paris Opera
Floating Foam Drink Coolers
The FOAM Portable Cooler is Durable, Lightweight and Insulated
Playfully Designed Air Purifiers
Matteo Ercole Designs the Willy Air Purifier for Children
Adjustable Playful Table Lamps
Flos Presents Two Sets of Lamps during Milan Design Week 2023
Foundation-Supporting '90s Toys
A New Bop It! Button Was Launched for the Game's 25th Anniversary
Balloon-Like Lighting Series
Lladró and Nichetto Studio Present the Soft Blown Light Collection
Creative Constellation Water Bottles
The Evian x Coperni Bottle Invites People to "Look Closer"
Recyclable Bubble Mailer Envelopes
This Kite Mailer Range is Eco-Friendly and Economical
Origami-Inspired Lit Table Concepts
Sonakshi Gupta Designs the Dynamic LightUP Concept
Whimsical Turkey Basters
Staff Launches a Playful Turkey Baster, Just in Time for the Holiday
Fun-Filled Inflatable Boards
The 'Adventure Board' is Designed For Versatile Outdoor Enjoyment
Squishing Jellybean-Scented Toys
Jelly Belly Squishi Toys Come in 12 Different Scents
Playful Space-Themed Desserts
Sugar Bowl Bakery's Rocket Madeleines are Impressive and Whimsical
Kid-Friendly Telescopes
The LeapFrog Magic Adventures Telescope Shares Images Taken by NASA
Astronomical Concept-Inspired Lighting
Mavisten Edition Presents Its New Copernica Collection
Educational Science Kits
Griddly Games Launched the 'Just Add Baking Soda' Science Kit for Kids
Space-Themed Home Decor Collection
IKEA Introduces its new Cosmic AFTONSPARV Collection
Decorative Holiday Marshmallows
The Sugar Lab's Holiday Marshmallows Liven Drinks with Fun Shapes
Plastic-Exploring Art Exhibitions
The Everlasting Plastics Exhibition Explores Plastic Dependency
Intergalactic-Inspired Lifestyle Products
The Spacio Collection is Made up of Everyday Objects
Dynamic Fall-Centric Fashion Shows
JORDANLUCA Unveils FW24 During Milan Fashion Week
Boxed Wine Lawn Ornaments
Franzia's Lawn Inflatable-Cab Lets You Show Off Your Love of Boxed Wine
Pod-Inspired Bulbous Furniture
One Week Presents Its New Pod Collection of Furniture
Athlete-Founded Nostalgic Bubblegum
Bubblegum Kids Was Founded NHL Player Zach Hyman & His Brother
Building Block Bouquets
LEGO's Bouquet of Roses is a Home Decor Building Set for Adults
Dragon-Themed Drone Light Shows
The Legend of the Dragon Gate Will Tell a Tale with 1,500 Drones
Coral-Shaped Bulbous Pavilions
Marc Fornes Designs a Bulging Pavilion for Louis Vuitton
Origami-Inspired Cubic Lamps
Alice Chun Designs the MEGAPUFF Lamp with Portable Features
Quick-Burst Water Toys
NERF Better Than Balloons are Quick to Fill and Self-Sealing
90s Toy Holiday Trees
Furbtrees are Introducing the Next Generation of Furby Across the UK
Bright Whimsical Home Accessories
Blue Balcony Design Studio Delivers a Range of Vibrant Decor
Upcycled Sculptural Exhibitions
Madeline Continues to Grow her EPS [Expanded Polystyrene] Series
Sitcom-Inspired Figurine Sets
These Little People Collector Sets Pay Homage to Classic Shows
Illusory Snow Globe Decorations
The Nendo Invisible Snow Globe Has a Secretive Design
Pasta-Inspired Pool Inflatables
The Standard Hotel and Jumbo Unveils the Pool Pasta Floats
Inflatable Colorful Lamps
Eva Ausmann Designs the Vibrant SQUEEZE Inflatable Lamp
Wish-Making Lantern Collectibles
Lil Wish Lanterns Activate Imagination Through Positivity & Play
Mechanical Kinetic Motion Toys
Mezmoglobe's Luna is its Latest Complex Kinetic Desk Toy
Confetti-Filled Wrapping Papers
'FettiWrap™' Confetti Wrapping Paper Elevates Amusement
Space-Inspired Hovering Pens
The Levitating Pen 3.0 Appears to be Magically Floating in the Air
Celebratory Retro Handheld Games
McDonalds Introduces a New Grimace Game Boy Color
Squishy Fortune-Telling Toys
This Fortune Teller Squish Ball Reveals Answers with a Squeeze
Natural Scavenger Hunt Toys
Craft-tastic Nature: Scavenger Hunt Potions Inspire Play in Nature
Hovering Illusion Side Tables
Jonas Herman Pedersen Designs the Unique Stilk Side Table
Nature-Inspired Calming Speakers
Eunsu Lee Designs the Whistle Speaker with Birdsong Audio
Insect Habitat Toys
Smart Lab Toys' Insect Inspector Lab Bug Playground Encourages STEM Learning
ASMR-Inspired Soothing Toys
These Sensory Motion Bubblers Visually Create Calm
Luxurious Superyacht Airship Concepts
Lazzarini Design Studio Presents the Colossea Superyacht
Warm LED Artful Lamps
Fatboy Unveils its New Bellboy Table Lamp with Adjustable Light
Luminous Galactic-Themed Designs
Draga & Aurel Joins Nilufar on the Space Couture Project
Flying Umbrella Prototypes
This Hands-Free Device Hovers Above You to Protect From the Rain
Nature-Inspired Colorful Glass Vases
delaO design studio Creates the New Anemona Collection
Play-Inspiring Workshops
LEGO is Sharing a Free Workshop Series Featuring Renowned Creatives
Reflective Hemispherical Theater Stages
Muoto Designs the Ball Theater to Evoke a Sense of Utopia
Space-Themed Chocolate Toy Products
The Kinder Joy Space-Themed Collection Includes 12 Toys
Compact Geometric Portable Lamps
&Tradition Designs the Portable Pivot Lamp
Ambient Aesthetically Pleasing Lights
The Pofu Lamp Adds a Calming Mood to Any Space
Human Candle Campaigns
These Human Statues of Candle Wax Bring Attention to Youth Burnout
Intricate Basketball Shaped Bottles
Lorenz Bäumer Designs a Special Bottle for Hennessy
Childlike Characters Art Exhibitions
Kenny Scharf Unveil New Art Exhibition at The Journal Gallery
Multifunctional Sleek Desk Lamps
The Boring Lamp is Designed with a Power Source Function
Dynamic Curved Bottle Openers
Leemok Studio Designs the SImplistic Dancing Opener
Curated Wedding Gift Boxes
Confetë Party Box's Wedding Collection Simplifies Wedding Season
Vintage Projector Puzzle Kits
The LEGO Magic Lantern by Norders is a Functional Projector
Artful Garden Inflatable Spheres
Nic Brundson Designs the (This is) Air Project in Melbourne
Space-Inspired Toy Collections
Stomp Rocket® Debuts the Space Collection at Target & Toy Retailers
Public Flying Air-Taxis
The Public eVTOL Design Project by Joowon Lee Readies for Urban Spaces
Iconic Cat Birthday Celebrations
Hello Kitty Happy 50 Will Take Over Hong Kong's Harbour City
Epochal Electric VTOLs
Joby Aviation's eVTOL Prototype Could Help Democratize Aerial Commuting
Fire Connection-Inspired Candleholders
Charles Kalpakian Designs Candleholders with Eldvarm
Spiky Inflatable Sculptures
Steve Messam Presents His Sculptures During Clerkenwell Design Week
Jelly Bean-Inspired Toy Collections
These Jelly Belly Toys Were Created with the Incredible Group
Levitating Dynamic Ring Lamps
Inovaxion Designs the Levitos Ring Lamp with Various Functions
Grow-at-Home Sponge Furniture
ÉCAL's Sponge Furniture Expands 10 Times in Size After Soaking
Stress-Reducing Breathing Balls
This Ball Mimics Users' Breathing Patterns In Tangible Form
Mountain-Inspired Lighting Capsule
Coil + Drift Introduces the Loon Lighting Collection
Surprise Mini Dolls
L.O.L. Surprise! Sooo Mini! Has a Ball-in-Ball Unboxing Experience
Rebranded Inflation Product Lines
GIGA PUMP Rebrands to Launch the Aerogogo Inflation Line
Musical-Themed Kinetic Structures
Daily tous les jours Designs the Daydreamer Structure
Mist-Making Genie Toys
Moose Toys' Magic Mixies Magic Lamp Inspires Magical Wish-Making
Inflatable Entertainment Complex Expansions
The Bubble Has Opened Its Second Location in the GTA
Whimsical Glass Bubbled Lamps
Youngeun Seo Designs the PEEKA Bulbous Lamp with a Playful Influence
Individual Birthday Cake Snacks
Tastykake Confetti Krimpets are Small But Big on Flavor
Whimsical Woven Speakers
Paula Vogels Explores Sounds and Labour in This Installation
Inflated-Illusion Ceramic Capsules
Toykyo and HOme Studyo Join Forces on the Blow Up Collection
Bulbous Whimsical Lighting Series
Jumbo Designs the Neotenic Collection for Petite Friture
Playful Toy-Inspired Exhibits
The Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity Debuts Toys & Play Exhibit
Sculptural Hand-Blown Table Lamps
The Parade Table Lamp Design Joins HAY's Impeccable Roster
Inflated Vibrant Futuristic Buses
Midjourney Helped Create the Mutated School Bus Design
Sea Level-Measuring Sculptures
Alicja Biała's Totemy Series Showcases Various Climate Change Data
Wooden Light-Hearted Sculptures
Pieter Ceizer Launches the New Artful Dream Sculpture
Soothing Sleep-Promoting Accessories
Baloo Living Offers a Variety of Luxurious Sleep Essentials
Inflatable-Orb Stage Set Designs
BIG Designs the Stage Set for WhoMadeWho's World Tour
Playful Dynamic Furniture Capsule
Another Human Presents the New Galliforms Collection
Celebratory Chewing Gum Documentaries
'Bazooka Bubble Gum Turns 75' Marks a Milestone
Failure-Celebrating Festivals
The Faal Festival Was a One-of-a-Kind Experience
Novelty Polling Websites
Funnypoll Gives Users a Quick Laugh in an Often Overwhelming Online Space