Ball and Balloon Games

Ball Games

Hand Soccer (6-10)

Equipment: Flat ball, hockey puck, beanbag, or something that can be pushed along the floor, goals
(can be desks, cones, etc.).
Description: Split the class into two groups if it is a small class.  If it is a larger class, split the class into a number of groups and play the game with students participating from the sidelines—they would make sure the puck stays in-bounds.  The object of the game is for the students to hit the puck with their hands only and push the puck into the opposing teams goal.  If students hit the puck into the air, the puck becomes “dead” and it is given to the opposing team at the sight of the infraction

Squash Balls (8-12)

Equipment: Hard floor, four tennis balls per person
Description: The object of the game is for students working in partners to try to cross an outlined area of toxic waste by stepping sequentially on a supplied number of tennis balls.  Each person is given four tennis balls.  Students, using each other for balance, must use the tennis balls as stepping-stones to help them make it to the other side of the toxic spill without ever touching the floor with their feet.  If they touch the floor, they must start again from the beginning.

Hit the Deck (2-6)

Equipment: Balls
Description: Split class into a few groups.  Students form a line within their group.  They must pass the ball from the beginning of the line to the end of the line (over, under, or between themselves).  When the last person receives the ball, he or she yells, “hit the deck” and all his/her teammates must drop to the floor as their teammates hop over them.  Continue the game till everyone has had a chance to yell, “hit the deck.” This can use this as a relay race between groups, or simply as a fun activity.  The smaller the classroom is, the more groups you should have.

Putt-Putt (3-12)

Equipment: Golf clubs, plastic cups, rug swatches (if you have), mini foam balls (about the size of
a golf ball), score sheet
Description: Make an eight-hole golf course for students-or as many holes as you have room for in the classroom. Students must navigate the “golf course” obstacles that the teacher sets up around the room in an attempt to finish the course in the least amount of strokes possible.  Have students keep a tally sheet as they would during a real golf game. Once they complete the course, have them try it again trying to beat their own score.

Ball Carry (2-6)

Equipment: Nerf balls
Description: Students get into pairs.  The object of the activity is to work with your partner to carry as many balls as possible over from one side to another.  You may not use your hands for the activity and partners must work together.  Can be used as a relay race-where everyone goes at one time.  First team to drop twenty balls over to the other side wins.

Balloon Volley (6-12)

Equipment: Balloons, and either a rope, string, or something that can separate the class into two
sections
Description: Divide the class into two groups with a rope about five feet off the ground separating them.  The object of the game is only using their feet, for the students to kick the balloon over to the other side of the net so that the other team cannot kick it back.  Give students a minimum number of touches they must have before the balloon goes over the net to ensure maximum participation.  You can separate the class into lots of games-students can play one on one if you put a rope up across the length of the classroom.

Volley Turn (k-12)

Equipment: 6 or 7 - 4 ft. Ropes
Description: There will be at least four people to a group. In this game two people will hold the rope approximately waist high to start.  Their job is to slowly move around in a circle while holding that rope tight.  The other two people will be on each side of the rope throwing, catching, bumping or setting a ball or bean bag back and forth to each other.  You can have students hold the rope high and make the students have a catch with a basketball over and under or you can hold the rope low and have students pass the ball to each other.

Ball Relay (4-12)

Equipment: Two balls
Description: This is a cooperation and team work game.  The object of the game is to split the class up.  Originally, 4 runners for the relay are needed and 8 people in a circle about 15 yards away.  During this game the students in the circle will have a ball and the students in a line will have the ball.  The relay team has to run down to the circle of students, run around the circle and on the way back to the line pass the ball or object back to their teammate so they can start.  All 4 runners need to go run around the circle of people before that circle passes an object around the circle 8 times.  Make the game challenging or easier just by adding the amount of times the larger circles has to pass their object through the circle.

Balloon Madness (k-4)

Equipment:  Balloons, racquets
Description:  This is a great hand-eye coordination game.  Everyone in the class gets into their own space with a balloon. Students will hit the balloon and keep it in the air for either a certain amount of time or a certain amount of hits. The students will use bats and rackets to hit it with after they have used their hands.  To make it more challenging the students can have partners to keep the balloon up in the air.

Spelling Kickball

Play kickball as usual, except ask each student to spell a word before being pitched the ball. If the student misspells the word, he or she "strikes" out. If the student correctly spells the word, the pitcher rolls the ball, and the game progresses normally. As a variation to the game, you might allow students to ask a teammate to help spell a word.

Farmers and Tree Cutters (2-5)

Have a bunch of cones set up in a square. They can be all different sizes.  Have a group of students be the farmers and a group of students be the tree cutters. Once everyone has a job, than the tree cutters will try and knock down all the cones while the farmers are trying to pick up all the cones.   This is all going on at the same time.  One way you can modify this game is by having the tree cutters only knock down the cones using their knees or their elbows.

Bucket Ball Madness (1-2)

Equipment: 20 red buckets, 20 blue buckets, 20 red sponge balls and 20 blue sponge balls.
Description: Scatter the red and blue balls around the playing space. Red and blue buckets are placed around the gym (location is at the discretion of the teacher). Split the class in half to form two teams. Each team will be assigned a color, either blue or red. After the teacher gives the start signal, the red team will attempt to collect all the randomly scattered red balls and place them in the red buckets which will be placed around the gym. The blue team will do the same with the blue balls and buckets. Game concludes when all of the balls are in buckets. Start another game.

Scooter Ball (1-5)

Equipment: Scooters, cones, two nerf balls.

Four groups (3-5) all go at the same time, every person on scooter

Object: Is to have all four teams against each other. Each team must pass the ball to every player before scoring. There are two balls in play at the same time.

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