You’ll notice that some of these designs aren’t technically animals. But these are suitable for parties of all ages, from the youngest school-age children. In general, you should practice for a while with some good quality balloons (not the kind you get at the party store) before you get in front of an audience. Once you’re feeling confident, you may want to add a little banter to your routine, chit-chat with people while you put their requested creation together. Of course, this is optional, but it can add an extra aspect of entertainment to the whole performance. If you’re performing for a group of kids, it’s not a bad idea to make a few samples animals ahead of time, and display them at a table where you’ll be doing your magic. That way, you don’t get stuck with a kid asking you to make one that’s not in your repertoire. You’ll start with three basic balloon twists. The first will be about two inches long, which will form the snout of the dog. The second and third twists will be smaller, about an inch each, to form the dog’s ears. It starts with the basic dog, so learn that one first.
