Balloon Hand Golf
A nine-hole course where each student taps a balloon with their hand until it settles inside a hoop, using as few hits as possible. It works on striking with the hand, controlling force, and visually tracking a slow-moving object.
How to play
- Set up a 9-hole course with hoops on the floor around the gym; next to each hoop, put a numbered cone, and mark a tee 10 to 16 feet (3 to 5 m) away (3 minutes to explain).
- Make groups of 3 with one balloon per student. Each group starts at a different hole so nobody waits.
- From the tee, each player taps the balloon with an open palm toward the hoop. Every touch counts as one stroke.
- A hole is finished when the balloon drops and stays inside the hoop. If it rolls out, keep tapping from where it is.
- After each hole, the group says their strokes out loud and moves to the next number. The first round takes about 10 minutes.
- In the second round (6 minutes), tap only with the non-dominant hand or the back of the hand, trying to beat your own score on as many holes as time allows.
Rules
- Only tap your own balloon, and only with an open hand.
- Wait until the group ahead clears the hole.
- Walk after your balloon; no running, so nobody collides.
- If a balloon pops, grab a new one and keep going with no extra strokes.
Variations
Easier
Use bigger hoops or two hoops together for each hole, and move the tees in to 6 feet.
Standard
Nine holes with tees 10 to 16 feet away and open-palm taps.
Harder
Add obstacles such as benches or cones between the tee and the hoop, or require alternating right and left hands.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: a student using a wheelchair taps with the hand, and their holes are set in open areas with no benches.
- Autism: give a card showing the order of the holes and announce each rule change ahead of time.
- Skill level: confident students try to stay under a set number of strokes; students who need more time play without counting.
Learning goals
- Strike a light object with the hand and send it toward a target.
- Control striking force so the balloon doesn't overshoot.
- Set a personal goal and check whether you reached it.
Equipment for a class of 25
- balloons: 35
- hoops: 9
- cones: 9
Teacher tip
Play indoors away from drafts, or the balloons won't cooperate. Keep spare inflated balloons handy and pick up pieces of popped balloons right away.
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