The Ball Planet Orbits My Body

Each child is the sun, and their ball is a planet orbiting their body: around the waist, the legs, the head and between the feet. It works on ball handling and loosens up the trunk, arms and legs before playing.

How to play

1. Everyone takes a ball and finds a spot: you're the sun and the ball is your planet (1 min).
2. The planet circles the waist, passing from hand to hand in front and behind (1 min).
3. Now it circles the knees, bending a little, and then goes slowly around the head (1 min).
4. The planet travels from leg to leg in a figure eight between the legs, as best each child can (1 min).
5. The sun walks around the room with its planet: we walk circling the ball around the waist and, at “Eclipse!”, hide it behind our back (2 min).

Rules

• The planet never leaves its orbit; if it drops, pick it up and keep going.
• Each sun stays in its spot without touching other planets.
• Pass the ball hand to hand; no throwing.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the planet circles the trunk and head from the chair.
• Visual impairment: use a ball with a bell inside to hear where it is.
• Less skilled children: a bigger ball that's easier to grip.

Learning goals

• Pass the ball from hand to hand around the body.
• Loosen up the trunk, hips and shoulders.
• Learn body parts the ball travels around.

Equipment for a class of 25

• pelotas: 25

Teacher tip

Medium-size soft balls work better than small ones. The figure eight is really hard: don't correct it, trying is enough.

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