Hanging Jug Bells

Empty water jugs hang from a stretched rope as the town's bells, and children throw soft balls to make them swing. It builds accurate throwing and waiting until everyone is done before collecting.

How to play

1. Before class, the teacher hangs five or six empty jugs from a rope stretched between two posts at chest height; we meet them: they're the town bells (1 min).
2. First, touch them, push them gently, and watch them swing until they stop (2 min).
3. From a line three steps away, throw soft balls to make the bells move, everyone at once with a bell in front of them (4 min).
4. The teacher calls "The middle bell!" or "The last bell!" and we aim for that one (3 min).
5. When the teacher says "Clean up!", everyone gathers the balls and puts them back in the basket singing "Ding, dong, dang" (2 min).

Rules

• I throw from my line.
• I only go get balls when the teacher says "Clean up!"
• Nobody stands in front of the bells while we're throwing.

Variations

Adaptations

• Visual impairment: put a handful of rice inside the jugs and glue the caps so they make noise; the teacher claps next to the target bell.
• Limited mobility: hang one bell lower at wheelchair height and move that child's line closer.
• Less coordination: use bigger balls and throw from closer.

Learning goals

• Throw accurately at a target.
• Adjust throwing force to distance.
• Respect the signal to collect.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Empty water jugs: 6
• Rope: 1
• Soft balls: 25
• Basket: 1

Teacher tip

Tie each jug by the handle with a firm knot and make sure the rope is taut. Hand out lots of balls so no one waits; the typical mistake is running to collect while others are still throwing.

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