Foot Wall Ball Partner Game
A classic playground game where students kick a foam ball against the wall in alternating turns, letting it bounce once. It's played 2-on-2, with partners alternating kicks. Students practice kicking with both feet, body orientation, and teamwork.
How to play
- Chalk wall sections 20 feet wide and use cones to mark courts 23 feet deep; form pairs and put two pairs on each section.
- Warm up for 3 minutes: each pair kicks against the wall without opponents, alternating right and left foot.
- To serve, place the ball on a line 16 feet from the wall and kick it with the inside of the foot so it hits the wall and lands inside the court.
- Kicks alternate between teams and, within each team, between partners; the ball may bounce once or be kicked out of the air.
- A team loses the point if the ball bounces twice, goes out, is touched with a hand, or is kicked by the wrong partner.
- Play 4-minute games with rally scoring and rotate opponents on the whistle; in the last two games, serves must be kicked with the non-dominant foot.
Rules
- Kick with the inside or top of the foot, never the toe.
- No headers; let high balls bounce.
- If a player steps into an opponent's kick, replay the point.
- Respect the next court over and wait until they stop to get your ball.
Variations
Easier
Allow two bounces and one trap with the foot before kicking.
Standard
Play one bounce with alternating kicks between teams and between partners.
Harder
Only kicks on the fly or on the half volley are allowed, with no time to trap.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student may strike with a hand and gets two bounces on their turn.
- Visual impairment: use a brightly colored ball or one with a bell, and narrower courts.
- Fitness or skill level: stronger pairs may only use their non-dominant foot.
Learning goals
- Kick the ball with both feet, aiming it at the wall.
- Cooperate with a partner by respecting turns.
- Apply safety rules in a kicking wall game.
Equipment for a class of 25
- foam balls: 7
- chalk: 4
- cones: 16
Teacher tip
Use foam balls: leather balls bounce too hard and can hurt if they hit a face. The most common mistake is toe-kicking, so teach students to point their plant foot toward the wall.
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