The Paper Ball Factory

Children turn scrap paper into balls by squeezing them hard, then "wake up" their ball by gently tossing it up and catching it. It warms up hands and arms and makes the equipment for the throwing games.

How to play

1. Each child takes a sheet of scrap paper and slowly crumples it with both hands, like making a snowball (2 min).
2. Squeeze the ball really hard, pass it from hand to hand and roll it between your palms to make it round (2 min).
3. Wake the ball up: toss it a little bit up and catch it, first with two hands and then with one (2 min).
4. Put the balls in the factory basket to use in the next game (1 min).
5. Before putting them away, each child tosses their ball underhand into the basket from where they stand (1 min).

Rules

• Everyone makes their own ball from their own sheet.
• Toss balls up, never at anyone's face.
• If my ball rolls away, I walk to get it.

Variations

Adaptations

• Weaker hands: use tissue paper or newspaper, which crumples with less effort.
• Autism: preview the steps with pictures (crumple, squeeze, toss, put away) and let the child work in a quiet corner if the crinkly sound bothers them.
• Visual impairment: use very crinkly paper and toss the ball very low so the child can hear it and feel it land in their hands.

Learning goals

• Warm up hands, wrists and arms.
• Build grip and hand strength.
• Start practicing throwing and catching with a light object.

Equipment for a class of 25

• scrap paper sheets: 50
• basket: 2

Teacher tip

Save used paper during the week and check that there are no staples or paper clips. If you do this right before a throwing game, the factory leaves your equipment ready to go.

More activities like this

More warm-ups for Elementary