[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] 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!
Dodgeball tag
Tag, a simple game loved for generations, comes in many variations.
This game, “Ball-Tag,” is one such variation—just as the name suggests, it adds the element of hitting with a ball to regular tag.
In regular tag, the “it” chases the others and switches roles by touching them, but in Ball-Tag, the role switches when someone is hit by the ball.
Even children who aren’t fast runners and find regular tag challenging might be able to fully enjoy Ball-Tag.