The Painting Ball Rolls Back and Forth

In pairs, sitting on opposite sides of a strip of butcher paper, children roll a paint-dipped ball back and forth, leaving colorful trails each time it crosses. They practice rolling, catching with their hands, and cooperating with a partner.

How to play

1. We spread the paper on the ground and sit in pairs, facing each other with the paper in between (2 min).
2. Without paint, we roll the ball with both hands, legs open wide like a goal to catch it (2 min).
3. We dip the ball in the tray and roll it to our partner; every time it crosses, it leaves a stripe of color (4 min).
4. We try new paths: rolling diagonally to another pair, rolling very slowly, and rolling with one hand (3 min).
5. We leave the balls in the trays and look at the paper: which pair made a rainbow spiderweb? (3 min).

Rules

• The ball rolls on the ground; it never goes in the air.
• Look at your partner before you roll.
• If the ball gets away, walk to get it.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child in the wheelchair rolls the ball down a cardboard ramp resting on their knees and catches with an adult nearby.
• Autism: keep a steady partner and always the same ball in their favorite color.
• Visual impairment: use a ball with a bell inside, and the partner says their name before rolling.

Learning goals

• Roll a ball accurately to a partner.
• Catch a rolled ball with the hands.
• Cooperate in pairs to create a shared drawing.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Butcher paper roll: 1
• Rubber balls: 12
• Washable paint: 4
• Trays: 6

Teacher tip

Use washable rubber balls that don't soak up paint, and keep a bucket of water to rinse them at the end. Keep the paint shallow, or the ball will splatter when it bounces.

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