Paddle Tag: Keep the Ball Balanced

A tag game where everyone carries a ball balanced on their paddle. It warms the body up with running and forces students to control the paddle face without staring at it.

How to play

1. Each student takes a paddle and a ball and walks around with the ball resting on the forehand face, then the backhand face (2 min).
2. Game on: four taggers in pinnies tag by touching a shoulder; everyone carries the ball on the paddle (3 min).
3. If you are tagged or drop the ball, do five bounces up with the paddle and rejoin; pinnies change hands every minute (3 min).
4. Final round: taggers also carry a ball on their paddle, which evens out the chase (2 min).

Rules

• Tag by touching a shoulder with the free hand, never with the paddle.
• No holding the ball with a finger.
• Stay inside the cone or line boundaries; no running out to escape.

Variations

Adaptations

• Students with low vision: use a brightly colored ball and have a guide partner alongside for the first minute.
• Injured ankle: be a fixed tagger in a small zone, walking, or count the bounces of players rejoining.
• Students still building coordination: carry the ball on a flying disc or steady it with a hand under the paddle until confident.

Learning goals

• Raise heart rate through play.
• Control the paddle face on the move.
• Change direction while looking at the space, not the paddle.

Equipment for a class of 25

• beach paddles: 30
• foam balls: 30
• pinnies: 4

Teacher tip

No foam balls? Old tennis balls work, though they roll more. Rotate the pinnies quickly so no one gets stuck as the tagger for too long.

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