[Childcare] Ball game ideas popular with children
Ball games that kids love! Playing with balls not only improves physical abilities, but also develops reflexes, nurtures social skills and imagination, and offers plenty of benefits that promote children’s growth.
You’ll definitely want to incorporate lots of ball play into their activities.
So this time, we’ve gathered plenty of popular ball game ideas recommended for children.
From games you can start on your own right away to activities everyone can enjoy together! Try having fun with the children at daycare, kindergarten, or at home!
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Childcare: Popular Ball Play Ideas for Kids (1–10)
ball toss (traditional Japanese beanbag/ball-throwing game)
Tamaire is often thought of as simply tossing balls into a basket, but with a little creativity you can enjoy all kinds of variations! Try throwing balls from a distance into a basket placed on the ground, or aim at a basket your friend is wearing on their back as they run away—both offer a different kind of fun from the usual version where you throw at a basket up high.
Adjust the basket’s distance to match the child’s throwing ability.
If you say, “Put the balls into the bag the teacher is holding,” even the final clean-up can feel like a game.
Target shooting
A target-throwing game where you aim a ball at the target and compete for points! Cut hook-and-loop tape with an adhesive backing into thin strips, and attach them to a ping-pong ball in a radial pattern so it will stick to the target no matter which part hits.
Stick a felt target onto a large sheet of construction paper and write in the point values, and your target-throwing set is complete! If you set the small center area to 100 points and the others to 50 or 30 points, kids will focus and try their best to hit 100.
Hosting a target-throwing tournament sounds fun, too.
Ball-carrying relay
This is a ball-carrying relay where you pass the ball to the next friend and keep the sash going! Two people hold the ends of a cloth, place a ball on top, and move forward while matching their running speed and hand positions so the ball doesn’t fall.
Be extra careful during handoffs! If you let go before the next child has a firm grip on the cloth, the ball will drop.
Communicate and cooperate with phrases like, “Got it? I’m letting go!” and “Okay, ready—go!” Since both hands are occupied, there’s a chance children won’t be able to catch themselves well if they trip and fall.
Teachers, please keep a close watch over the relay.
[Childcare] Ball Play Ideas Popular with Children (11–20)
Paper cup guessing game
Let’s try a paper cup target game where you throw a ball at stacked or lined-up paper cups! Paper cups are often used in crafts and other recreational activities, and many places probably have extras lying around.
Stack the cups high to make a target and aim your throws at it! Small, lightweight rubber balls are easy to throw, but if you don’t have one, you can make a ball by crumpling up newspaper and wrapping it tightly with duct tape.
Where are you from?
The traditional handball song “Antagata Dokosa” has long been beloved.
It’s one of the most well-known handball songs, and many parents are surely familiar with the game.
To start, try bouncing a ball in rhythm—begin by making the ball hit the ground in time.
A distinctive feature of this song is that when the lyrics include the syllable “sa,” at the end of certain words, you lift your leg and pass the ball underneath.
It may be difficult at first, but try singing slowly and let children challenge themselves at their own pace.
soccer
Speaking of soccer, the whole country gets excited during events like the Olympics and the World Cup, right? Seeing that, many children probably feel like starting soccer or even dream of becoming soccer players in the future.
To enjoy soccer, it might be good to start by simply getting used to kicking the ball and playing around.
Regardless of the rules, there are many fun ways to play—try dribbling the ball to avoid obstacles, aiming a shot at a goal, or passing to a friend.
ball pit
The ball pit is hugely popular in kids’ areas at events and shared facilities.
Sinking your whole body into a sea of balls is irresistibly fun—and just watching makes adults want to try it too (haha).
You’ll need lots of balls, but once you’ve got them, you can enjoy it over and over, and kids will definitely want to play regularly! You can submerge your whole body like in a pool, or just dip your feet in and enjoy the sensation—everyone can play however they like.
You can also throw the balls or play games like a ball-toss!