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 Sports] A Collection of Ball Games and Sports (41–50)
beanbags
Otedama is also written as “御手玉.” They’re made by filling small cloth bags with adzuki beans or the like, and it seems like most grandmothers could whip them up with ease.
The game has a long history—there are even said to be cave paintings in ancient Egypt showing people playing with something like otedama.
Children’s games that involve tossing stones are similar, and it makes you think that games of throwing things might go all the way back to when humans were still like monkeys.
The nursery rhyme “Antagata Dokosa” is famous as a song sung while playing otedama, but there are many other otedama songs as well.
“Ichiban Hajime wa Ichinomiya,” which is also sung while bouncing a ball, and “Ichikake Nikakete,” which was even covered by Hatsune Miku—counting the regionally flavored songs, there are said to be over a hundred.
You can buy otedama at 100-yen shops.
How about returning to your childhood and giving it a try?
[Fun Ball Games] A roundup of ball-based play and game sports (51–60)
Spoon-and-ball carrying relay
The concentration needed to keep the ball from falling off the spoon is so much fun! Here’s an idea for a “spoon-and-ball relay.” You can enjoy this indoors.
Place a ball on a spoon, go around a cone, and pass it to the next person.
It’s a great way to build concentration while having fun, so it’s also recommended as a sports day event.
Both kids and adults can enjoy it, so why not adapt it as a parent–child activity? You can also switch the ball for different items to make it even more fun.
Be sure to include it in your sports day program!
Ball Retrieval Relay
A recommended variation of the ball-carry relay is the Ball Collection Relay! In this game, you form teams and race to gather balls as quickly as possible.
Stand at the starting line and take off when the signal is given.
Each team member runs out one at a time to grab a ball, comes back, and hands the baton to the next person.
The more balls there are, the more fun it gets.
You can help each other, chat while you run, and feel your team’s unity.
Laugh, cheer each other on, and make it a memorable event!
Indiaca
Indiaca is a sport where players hit a shuttlecock-like ball with feathers using their hands.
You can imagine it as a blend of volleyball and badminton.
The ball is heavier than you’d expect, making its trajectory hard to read and the game challenging—but that’s what makes it fun.
golf
Golf is a sport with a global market.
Tournaments like the Earth Mondahmin Cup are famous for their exceptional prize money totaling 300 million yen.
Of course, we can’t compete with the pros, but why not head out for a round on a nice day? It’s even healthier if you skip the cart and walk between holes.
If you’re among close friends, they’ll likely overlook the occasional bad shot.
Getting together with golf lovers to watch golf videos also sounds fun.
Bring along information about your favorite players!
Giant Ball Toss Relay
Jumbo beach balls are perfect for sports days and events! In this video, they’re competing to see how many times they can toss the ball, but you can also adapt it into a game where you carry the ball to a goal.
Because the ball is so large, it looks fun and is easy to move.
The best part is that everyone can play together—from kids to adults.
With a little creativity, you can come up with all kinds of games, so it’s fun to brainstorm ideas and design your own.
Moving your body naturally brings out smiles.
Be sure to try using a jumbo beach ball at your next event!
dodgeball
This is dodgeball, a ball game so popular in Japan that it hardly needs an explanation.
The name “dodgeball” is said to come from the English word “dodge,” meaning to quickly evade.
It was reportedly introduced in Japan by the end of the Meiji era, so it’s an older game than you might think.
Variations include Double Dodge, which uses two balls, and “Dodgebee,” which uses a soft flying disc instead of a ball.
