Fun Ball Sports: A Roundup of Ball-Based Play, Games, and Sports
When it comes to ball games, they’re classic sports like baseball and soccer to begin with, and they’re hugely popular with kids!
There’s a wide range—from games you can play with just a single ball, to ones like baseball and table tennis that use a bat or racket.
They help improve physical abilities too, whether it’s mastering how to use your body or learning to handle equipment.
In this article, we’ll introduce a variety of ball-based activities, from classic and popular ball sports to some that are a bit more niche!
We’ll also cover simplified versions of sports like basketball and rugby that even small children can enjoy, as well as DIY activities like homemade bowling and target-throw games!
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[Fun Ball Games] A roundup of ball-based play and game sports (21–30)
Port ball
Many of you may have played this basketball-like game in elementary school PE classes.
Said to have originated in Sakai, Osaka, this seven-a-side game is distinctive in that, instead of basketball hoops, it features a player called the “goal man” and another called the “guard man,” whose role is to block the goal.
In enthusiastic cities, multiple tournaments are held each year, making it a game people take very seriously.
If you get a large group together, try playing it again and relive the old days.
footbag
Footbag is a sport where you perform dazzling tricks with a ball and your feet, similar to soccer juggling.
It’s played with a soft, beanbag-like ball that’s much smaller than a soccer ball.
In freestyle, players compete by performing a variety of tricks solo to music.
There’s also a version where several people stand in a circle and kick the bag to each other, making it easy to enjoy across generations.
Other disciplines include Footbag Net, which is played over a net like volleyball, and Footbag Consecutive, where players compete in the number of continuous kicks or the duration they can keep the ball in the air.
kickbase
Kickbase is a game that uses baseball rules, but instead of hitting the ball with a bat, you kick it with your foot.
Many people played it in elementary school, and in fact, it has a long tradition: it’s said to have been invented around 1917 in Ohio, USA.
Today, it’s popular not only in Japan but also in places like South Korea and Latin America, and is enjoyed around the world.
In Japan, a kickbase team formed by TV personalities once became a hot topic on a television show.
Ball tag
“Ball oni” is a type of tag played with a ball.
Hitting someone with the ball counts the same as tagging them by touch, and the person who gets hit becomes “it” next.
Since you only need to land a hit, you can aim at players who are far away.
However, if you miss, you’ll have to chase down the ball you threw, which can be tough in a large area.
There are also local rules—for example, if a player catches the thrown ball, they’re safe.
Centipede Dodgeball
A traditional ball game, dodgeball.
This is a variation with a few extra rules called “Centipede Dodgeball.” Players split into two teams: one team inside the court and the other attacking from outside.
The team inside the court lines up in a single file, placing their hands on the shoulders of the person in front.
The team outside wins by hitting the last person in the inside team’s line with the ball.
The inside team is out if they let go of their hands, so keep your hands firmly in place and protect the person at the back.
birdcage
The popular soccer training method known as “torikago” is a deep, skillful ball game said to contain every element of soccer, and it’s also called a “rondo.” The basic setup uses six players: the attacking players stand along the four sides of a square grid, while two defenders go inside and the ball is circulated with passes.
Professional players often use it as a warm-up, but even people who aren’t very familiar with soccer can enjoy it and get a feel for the essence of the game, so it’s a highly recommended activity.
Tennis
Thanks to the success of Japanese players like Kei Nishikori and Naomi Osaka, the tennis scene has been really exciting, hasn’t it? Some of you might have found yourselves getting interested and learning the rules, even if you didn’t quite understand them before.
Tennis is also rapidly growing in popularity as a ball game that both adults and children can enjoy.
There are two types of tennis in Japan—soft tennis and hard (regular) tennis—and they differ not only in the ball used but also slightly in the rules.
The scoring system for soft tennis is simpler and easier to remember, and when played as doubles, it’s a sport that kids can enjoy casually, too.