Ball Games

Activities

Chalk targets:

  1. Make a large circle on an outside wall of the house. In the middle of the circle mark a red target – use a saucer for the outline to make a perfect round circle. The red circle in the middle is the target.

  2. Place a hoop a few paces away from the target. Let your child stand inside the hoop and try to hit the target with his/her ball.

  3. They get five points each time they hit the target and one point if they hit the bigger circle.

  4. The player that gets fifty points first wins.

 

Knock ‘ems:

  1. Help your child to decorate empty powdered milk or baby formula tins by painting them/decorating them with string etc.

  2. Stack the tins in a pyramid and let your child try to knock down the tins with the ball.

  3. You can number the tins to add a points system to the game.

  4. Put some sand in the tins so that they do not topple over too easily.

 

Whacko:

  1. Put a cup of sand in the bottom of empty 2 litre cool drink bottles.

  2. Draw a circle on the concrete/pavement outside or make a circle with the hosepipe on the lawn.

  3. Place all the bottles inside the circle and try to roll the ball along the ground to see how many bottles you can each knock out of the circle.

 

Ball Sweep:

  1. Each player has a ball, broom and box to sweep their ball into.

  2. Line the players up on the driveway or in the backyard.

  3. When you say “go” the players have to sweep their balls into their boxes, which have been placed some distance away, as fast as they can.

  4. The first player to sweep their ball into the box is the winner

 

French Cricket:

  1. Gather the family together to play a fast and furious game of French cricket.

  2. One player holds the bat in front of their legs and the other players space themselves out in a large circle around that player.

  3. The object of the game is to try to hit the batsman’s legs with the ball.

  4. The batsman has to try to hit the ball away and is not allowed to move except when the ball has been hit and a player is running to fetch it. The batsman can then jump to another position. However, if the player fetching the ball sees this move, the batsman is out!!

 

Skittles:

  1. Use the (ten) plastic bottles used for whacko and place them in a triangle shape.
  2. Let your child stand some distance away and throw, or bowl, the ball at the skittles.
  3. Score one point for each skittle knocked over.
  4. Put the skittles up again for the next player.
  5. The player with the highest number of points scored, or the first player to reach a set number of points, is the winner.

 

Bok in die hok:

  1. Draw four squares on the ground.
  2. The players have to move through the blocks while the hunters try to throw them with the ball.
  3. If a player is hit, s/he becomes a hunter until only one player is left.

 

Burn ball:

  1. Players stand in a row.
  2. The leader has to try to hit the players with the ball. The players try to avoid being hit by jumping around.
  3. If a player is hit, s/he is out of the game. Ball race:
  4. Players stand behind each other in a row. The first player holds the ball, passing the ball overhead to the player behind him/her.
  5. When the ball reaches the last player in the row, s/he has to run to the front of the row, passing the ball.
  6. Alternate by passing the ball over one player’s head and through the next player’s legs.
  7. The ball can also be passed once overhead and then through the legs.

 

Ball between the knees:

  1. This game can be played in the swimming pool or on land.
  2. Let each player place a ball between their knees. On “go” walk as fast as you can to the other end of the pool/predetermined finish line.
  3. In the pool: try swimming to the other side of the pool while keeping the ball between your knees – if a player loses their ball, they have to start over.

 

Bucket Ball:

  1. Place a bucket on the ground and draw a line around it with chalk. No one is allowed to cross the line.
  2. Draw a start line approximately 1.5m from the bucket (it can be round or straight).
  3. Let your child stand behind the start line and try to throw the ball, making it bounce once before entering the bucket.
  4. Give one step back from the start line each time the ball goes in.

 

Crab Soccer:

  1. Mark the boundaries of the playing area and make two goals.
  2. Divide all players into two teams.
  3. Teams must lie on their backs and then push themselves off the ground with their hands and feet – this is the crab position.
  4. Players must remain in this position during play. You are not allowed to touch the ball with your hands, you have to kick it.
  5. Each team tries to dribble, pass or kick the ball into the opponent’s goal.

 

Dodge ball:

  1. Mark a large circle and pick the first player to be IT.
  2. IT stands inside the circle. All of the other players stand outside of it.
  3. Throw the ball back and forth through the circle, trying to tag IT below the waist with the ball. If you hit IT above the waist, your throw does not count.
  4. If you hit IT, you get to go in the middle and dodge. If IT catches the ball you threw, you are out.

 

Four square:

  1. Draw a large square with the chalk. Divide the square into four smaller squares and write numbers 1-4 in the squares.
  2. One player stands in each square. The player in the 4 th square begins the game. Bounce the ball inside your square then bat it into one of the other squares. The ball has to reach the other square in only one bounce or else you’re out.
  3. If the ball comes into your square, bounce it into someone else’s square. You do not have to bounce it in your own square first (that only happens when you serve).
  4. If you miss the ball or bounce it out of bounds, you’re out.

 

Poison Ball:

  1. This game can be played in the pool or on land.
  2. Stretch a net/rope (volleyball net) across the middle of the pool or playing area.
  3. Divide players into two teams. Each team stand on opposite sides of the net.
  4. Each player has a ball. When you say “go” players start throwing their balls over the net. They have to try to return all the balls to the other side of the net.
  5. When you yell “stop” the team with the fewest ball on their side wins.

 

Slap Ball:

  1. All players stand in a circle. Begin the game by hitting the ball with both palms flat into the air.
  2. Players hit the ball when it goes their way, trying to keep it airborne for as long as possible.

 

Spud:

  1. Pick the first player to be IT. IT stands in the middle of the playing area with the ball. All of the other players gather around.
  2. IT tosses the ball into the air, calling another player’s name. If your name is called, you must catch the ball while all the other players run away.
  3. As soon as you catch the ball, yell SPUD. All of the other players have to freeze where they are.
  4. Take three giant steps towards another player and throw the ball at that player’s feet. If the ball hits the player, that player gets an “S” and becomes IT. If the ball misses the player, you get an “S’ and stays IT.
  5. The game continues until a player spells “SPUD”