Playgroup: Playing with Balls - Activity Ideas

Child Development and Ball Play:

Balls bounce, roll, soar, and move. The dynamics of moving balls will help your child learn principles of physics and cause and effect.

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Activities and Ideas:

One-Handed, Blind-Folded Cotton Ball Transfer: Players blindfold themselves by using a spoon held with one hand. The objective is to transfer the most cotton balls in 30 seconds from the bowl to the plate. 

Playing Catch: Use a variety of balls and try these activities:
-Drop a ball, let it bounce and then catch it.
-Throw a ball up high and catch it.
-Throw a ball high in the air and try to clap as many times before you catch it.
-Throw a ball against a wall and catch it.
-With a friend, throw a ball back and forth.

Home Bowling: There can be 2, 4 or 6 players. Divide the kids into two teams and set up each group at a distance on either side of at least five empty two-liter soda bottles. Each team should have at least 3 balls. Each team takes a turn trying to knock down the bottles by rolling the balls into them as quickly as possible. The team first to knock all the bottles down wins. Milk cartons, empty oatmeal containers, empty cans also work for this activity. 

PIG: 3-6 players. Have the kids stand in a circle and throw the ball back and forth in no specific order between players. All players need to be a alert while playing because they will gain on letter of the word PIG every time they fail to catch the ball. When a child collects all three letters he is out. The last player remaining in the game wins. 

Monkey in the Middle: Someone is chosen to be the "monkey" be in the middle of the circle that is formed by all the players. A ball will be passed around in the circle, the person in the middle will attempt to intercept the ball. When this happens, the person in the circle who last touched the ball becomes the "monkey".

Foursquare: On a concrete slab, divide a 6 feet wide section into a square then into four small  equal-sized squares inside. Number each square with one child on each number (1-4). The child in square 1 begins by bouncing the ball to a different square without hitting the lines. The child in that square must hit the ball into another child's square without bouncing it twice and so on. A child who doesn't hit the ball into the appropriate square or hit the ball before it bounces the second time is out. All children rotate up a number. The objective is to reach square one and hold that position.

The Rhyming Ball Game: Have all players sit in a circle. Hold a ball, say a word then roll it to the next person. The player receiving the ball chooses a word that rhymes with the previous word. Everyone takes turns choosing the first word and the rhyming word. 

Ball Bounce: Have each player hold and stretch the edges of a parachute or large sheet. Place a ball in the center. Demonstrate how to flap the parachute while bouncing the ball. Count out loud to keep track of how long the children can keep the ball going without it bouncing off the parachute. To make the game more challenging add more balls!

Name Ball: Have players stand making a large circle. A player will start by saying his name then gently passes a small ball that is easy to grip to the child on the left or right of them. The child receiving the ball must same their name as they're catching the ball. The process continues until every player has said their name. Next round have each player say the name of the child right or left of them when they catch the ball. You can change up the game by speeding up or using more players. 

Source: Help Me Grow of United Way