[Childcare] Ball game ideas popular with children

9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

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!

[Childcare] Popular Ball Play Ideas for Kids (31–40)

Rolling Dodgeball

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Let me introduce Rolling Dodgeball, a game where you roll the ball instead of throwing it.

The rules are similar to regular dodgeball, but players are split into inside and outside groups, and the ball is rolled to keep the game going.

If an inside player is hit by a ball rolled by someone on the outside, they move to the outside and join their team’s attack from there.

It can also be fun to decide the winner by counting how many players remain inside at the end.

Unlike regular dodgeball, this version uses a soft ball, so you can play safely.

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stop ball throw

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Thinking while moving is fun! Let me introduce a stop-ball throwing activity.

You’ll need colored balls and cards with signs on them.

Place the colored balls on the floor and throw them into a basket.

When a “Stop” card is shown, everyone must freeze—even if they’re in the middle of throwing a ball.

Once kids get used to the rules, it’s fun to add similar-sounding words like “tomato” along with “stop.” Try adapting it while observing the children’s responses.

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In conclusion

We’ve shared lots of ball play ideas—what did you think? Many of them can be enjoyed not only outdoors but also indoors, so try them on rainy days or when you can’t go outside.

Adjust the ball’s size and softness to suit the children’s ages and developmental stages, and tweak the rules to make it even more exciting.

Have a blast playing and enjoying the time together with the kids!