I’m a Bouncy Ball

The teacher bounces an imaginary ball and the kids are that ball: they jump high for a strong bounce, small for a soft one, roll when it rolls, and freeze when it’s caught. It works jumping, force control, and visual attention.

How to play

1. Bounce a real soft ball: strong, soft, roll it, and catch it. Children sit and watch (30 s).
2. “Now you are my ball.” Everyone stands, spread out. Put the ball away and bounce your hand in the air: strong from high up, everyone jumps high; soft and low, tiny hops (1 min).
3. “The ball is rolling!” Mime rolling it, and everyone rolls slowly on the floor like logs or crawls, depending on space (1 min).
4. “I caught it!” Close your hands and everyone curls into a still little ball (repeat 4–5 times, mixing gestures, 2 min).
5. Wrap-up: “The ball is losing air”: bounce softer and softer while kids jump lower and lower until they sit down (30 s).

Rules

• Jump with two feet and land with soft knees.
• Roll only if you have open space around you.
• Always watch the teacher’s hand.
• When the ball is caught, freeze.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: “bounce” with arms or upper body from the wheelchair and “roll” by circling the arms.
• Hearing loss: the game is visual; exaggerate hand gestures so strong and soft look clearly different.
• More skilled kids jump a half turn on strong bounces; less skilled kids bend their knees without leaving the floor.

Learning goals

• Match jump force to a visual signal.
• Switch from moving to stillness with control.
• Roll and travel on the floor safely.

Equipment for a class of 25

• soft ball: 1

Teacher tip

Starting with a real ball makes them get the game instantly. Check there is room to roll; if not, swap rolling for crawling.

More activities like this

More warm-ups for Elementary