The Balloon Man
About the Poem
Poet: Rose Fyleman What it is about: A BALLOON MAN stands in the market square holding a BUNCH of colourful balloons. The child imagines what would happen if the strings SNAPPED and the balloons floated away!
The Poem
He always comes on market days,
And holds balloons — a lovely bunch —
And in the market square he stays,
And never seems to think of lunch.
Red and purple, blue and green,
And yellow ones, and white —
All day long you see him stand,
A happy, smiling sight.
And sometimes, when the wind is high,
I think the balloons will go —
Sailing up into the sky,
And maybe, to the moon!
Understanding the Poem
The Balloon Man
| Detail | What We Know |
|---|---|
| When he comes | On MARKET days |
| Where he stands | In the MARKET SQUARE |
| What he holds | A LOVELY BUNCH of balloons |
| What he does | Stands ALL DAY |
| How he looks | Happy and SMILING |
| What he forgets | To have LUNCH! |
The Balloons
The balloons are described as having MANY colours:
- RED
- PURPLE
- BLUE
- GREEN
- YELLOW
- WHITE
A 'lovely bunch' means a BEAUTIFUL collection of balloons all tied together.
The Child's Imagination
What If the Balloons Escape?
When the WIND is strong ('high'), the child IMAGINES:
- The strings SNAPPING
- The balloons SAILING UP into the sky
- They keep going HIGHER and HIGHER
- Maybe they even reach the MOON!
Why Is This Magical?
The balloons are already BEAUTIFUL on the ground. But imagining them flying FREE makes them even MORE special. The child dreams of balloons FLOATING to the moon — a magical thought!
Rhyme and Rhythm
Rhyming Words
| Stanza | Rhyming Pairs |
|---|---|
| 1 | Days — Stays, Bunch — Lunch |
| 2 | Green — Queen, White — Sight |
| 3 | High — Sky, Go — Moon (close rhyme) |
Imagery
The poem creates BRIGHT pictures:
- 'Red and purple, blue and green' — we SEE the colourful balloons
- 'A happy, smiling sight' — we see the balloon man's FACE
- 'Sailing up into the sky' — we SEE the balloons floating away
What We Can Learn
1. Finding Joy in Simple Things
A balloon man with a bunch of balloons is a HAPPY, colourful sight. We can find JOY in everyday things.
2. Using Your Imagination
The child does not just SEE balloons — she IMAGINES them flying to the moon! Imagination makes life MAGICAL.
3. Appreciate the Balloon Man
The balloon man works ALL DAY in the market. He brings joy to children. We should APPRECIATE people who make us happy.
Market Day
What is a Market Day?
In many towns and villages, a MARKET DAY is when sellers come to the town square to sell things.
Who Else Might Be at the Market?
| Person | What They Sell |
|---|---|
| Fruit seller | Apples, mangoes, oranges |
| Vegetable seller | Potatoes, tomatoes, onions |
| Toy seller | Dolls, cars, balls |
| Sweet seller | Laddoos, barfis, jalebis |
| Cloth seller | Sarees, shirts, dresses |
| Balloon man | Colourful balloons |
Activities
Activity 1: Draw the Balloon Man
Draw a picture of the BALLOON MAN in the market square:
- Draw HIM holding a bunch of balloons
- Colour each balloon DIFFERENTLY
- Draw the MARKET behind him
Activity 2: Imagine Your Own Balloon
If you had a MAGICAL balloon, where would it take you?
| Colour | Destination |
|---|---|
| Red balloon | To the top of a MOUNTAIN |
| Blue balloon | To the bottom of the OCEAN |
| Green balloon | To a DEEP, dark forest |
| Yellow balloon | To the SUN |
Write ONE sentence about YOUR balloon adventure!
Activity 3: Balloon Colours
Name something ELSE that is:
- Red: ___ (rose, apple, ladybug)
- Blue: ___ (sky, ocean, blueberry)
- Green: ___ (grass, leaf, frog)
- Yellow: ___ (sun, banana, lemon)
Words to Learn
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Balloon | A thin rubber bag filled with air or gas |
| Market | A place where people buy and sell things |
| Bunch | A group of things tied together |
| Square | An open area in a town (market square) |
| Sailing | Floating or moving smoothly through air |
| Sighting | Seeing something (a 'happy, smiling sight') |
Common Mistakes
-
'The balloon man sells only one colour of balloon.' — No! He has MANY colours — red, purple, blue, green, yellow, and white.
-
'The balloon man goes home for lunch.' — No! He 'never seems to think of lunch.' He stays in the square all day.
-
'The balloons actually fly to the moon.' — No! The child IMAGINES this happening. It is her imagination.
-
'The poem is sad.' — No! The poem is CHEERFUL and FULL of wonder. The balloon man is described as a 'happy, smiling sight.'
Quick Self-Test
Q1: Who wrote the poem 'The Balloon Man'? A1: Rose Fyleman.
Q2: Where does the balloon man stand? A2: In the market square.
Q3: What colours are the balloons? (Name at least 3) A3: Red, purple, blue, green, yellow, white (any three).
Q4: What does the child imagine happening to the balloons? A4: The strings snapping and the balloons sailing up into the sky, maybe to the moon.
Q5: Why doesn't the balloon man think of lunch? A5: Because he is busy selling balloons all day (or the poet imagines he is so dedicated/happy he forgets).
Q6: What does 'a lovely bunch' mean? A6: A beautiful collection of balloons tied together.
Q7: How does the balloon man look? A7: Happy and smiling.
Q8: What would YOU do if you had a bunch of colourful balloons? A8: (Your own creative answer!)
