Points of Contact Balance Challenge
Students invent still balances using exactly the number of body parts touching the floor that the giant die shows. They work on postural control, body awareness, and creative problem solving, first on their own and then with a partner.
How to play
- Spread the mats around the gym (2 or 3 students per mat) and explain what a point of contact is: any body part touching the floor (2 min).
- Roll the giant die and call out the number: each student makes a balance with that many points of contact and holds it for 5 seconds, counting out loud. Do 6 or 7 rolls (4 min).
- Add a condition to each roll, such as "3 points and one is an elbow" or "2 points and no feet," so students look for new shapes (3 min).
- In pairs, one student balances while the partner counts the points of contact out loud and checks that they stay still; switch roles after every roll (3 min).
- Final challenge: on the next roll, the pair builds one shared balance using the die number as their combined points of contact (for example, 4 points between two) and shows it to the class (3 min).
Rules
- A balance only counts if it stays completely still for 5 seconds.
- Do not repeat the same shape on two rolls in a row.
- In partner balances, never put weight on your partner's back or neck.
- Stay on your own mat space and do not crowd the group next to you.
Variations
Easier
Use only the numbers 3, 4, and 5 on the die and hold each balance for 3 seconds.
Standard
Play with all the numbers on the die and hold each balance for 5 seconds.
Harder
Hold for 8 seconds and, on the whistle, move into a new balance with one fewer point of contact without falling.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student can balance seated or in a chair, counting hands, arms, or the back against the seat as points of contact.
- Autism or shyness: show each number on a card with a picture example and let the student stay with the same partner the whole time.
- Fitness level: confident students choose shapes with a small base; students who struggle may touch the wall with one finger.
Learning goals
- Hold still balances with different numbers of points of contact.
- Identify which body parts can act as a base of support.
- Create original shapes and share them with a partner.
Equipment for a class of 25
- mats: 10
- giant die: 1
Teacher tip
At first almost everyone picks hands and feet, so praise original solutions out loud. Keep one-point balances near the wall.
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