Chinlone: Myanmar Keep-Up Circle
Chinlone is a traditional game from Myanmar with no opponents: a group in a circle keeps the ball in the air with the feet, knees, and other body parts, while one player in the middle shows off. Students build coordination, ball control, and cooperation.
How to play
- Groups of 6 in chalk circles about 20 ft across; each group has one soft ball or a large juggling ball.
- Legal touches (3 min): inside of the foot and laces, knee, sole of the foot behind the body (heel), and thigh. Students try each one on their own.
- Cooperative round (5 min): the group passes the ball without letting it touch the ground; each player may take up to 3 touches. Count the longest streak.
- Solo round (6 min): when a player calls "center," they step into the circle and keep the ball up as long as they can before sending it back to the ring. Everyone goes at least once.
- Final challenge (4 min): each group invents a sequence of 5 different touches, one per player, and performs it for another group.
Rules
- No hands on the ball except to restart.
- Groups do not compete against each other, only against their own record.
- The receiver calls "mine" out loud to avoid collisions.
- Kicks stay below the waist height of any nearby teammate.
Variations
Easier
Allow one bounce between touches and use a thick balloon or a bigger ball.
Standard
Ball stays in the air, up to 3 touches per player, plus the solo round.
Harder
Only inside-of-foot, laces, or heel touches count, and each player takes exactly 2 touches.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student plays the ball with the hands or forearms and their touch counts as two.
- Autism: show the touch sequence on cards and keep a set order around the circle.
- Lower skill: start by dropping the ball from the hand for the first touch.
Learning goals
- Control the ball with different surfaces of the foot and leg.
- Cooperate to build the group record without opponents.
- Learn about chinlone as a traditional game from Myanmar.
Equipment for a class of 25
- soft balls: 5
- chalk: 3
- stopwatch: 1
Teacher tip
The original ball is woven rattan; a 5–6 in soft ball or a large juggling ball works very well. Mix students who play soccer with those who do not, so the record depends on helping each other.
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