Towel Trampolines

Four children hold a towel by its corners and use it as a trampoline to bounce a ball, catch it again and send it to another group's towel. It works on hand-eye coordination and agreeing to pull at the same time.

How to play

1. Each group of four holds its towel by the corners and practices pulling it tight and letting it loose together (2 min).
2. We put the ball on and roll it around the towel without dropping it, like a giant marble (2 min).
3. On three, we pull the towel to toss the ball up and catch it again with the towel (3 min).
4. Two groups face each other: one launches the ball with its towel and the other tries to catch it with theirs (3 min).
5. All the towels in a circle: the ball goes around, passing from towel to towel (2 min).
6. The ball takes a nap in the towel and we rock it gently (2 min).

Rules

• All four hands pull together, on three.
• If the ball drops, whoever is closest picks it up.
• We toss up, never at faces.
• We don't let go of the towel.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: they hold their corner from the wheelchair and the group lowers the towel to their height.
• Autism: try the toss without the ball first so they know how the towel will move.
• Visual impairment: brightly colored ball with a bell, and low tosses.

Learning goals

• Track the ball with their eyes and catch it with an object.
• Time the pull with classmates.
• Pass the ball to another group cooperatively.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Large towels: 6
• Soft balls: 6

Teacher tip

Big beach towels are perfect; use soft foam balls, never hard ones. Always count “One, two, three!” out loud: without it, everyone pulls whenever they feel like it.

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