Walk Your Puppy Ball
Each ball is a puppy, and kids take it for a walk by rolling it along the ground with one hand, following rope paths and going around cones. Children practice hand dribbling along the ground, using both sides, and finding their way in space.
How to play
- Before class, lay out paths with ropes (straight, curvy, zigzag) and set cones as trees. Each child gets a ball-puppy (1 min).
- Demonstrate while crouching: push the ball gently with your palm so it stays close: "My puppy walks next to me" (1 min).
- Free walk around the playground pushing the puppy with a hand; on a tambourine tap, the puppy sits: ball still under the hand (3 min).
- Walk along the rope paths without letting the puppy leave the path (3 min).
- Switch hands: "Now the other hand!" Go around the cone trees so the puppy can pee (2 min, giggles guaranteed).
- Finish: walk home very slowly and the puppy goes to sleep in a hoop or next to a cone (2 min).
Rules
- Keep your puppy close; don't push hard.
- Look ahead so you don't bump into other puppies.
- If it runs away, walk to get it.
- On the tambourine tap, the puppy sits.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, walk freely without paths using a big ball that rolls slowly.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, follow rope paths and switch hands.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, use a smaller ball, zigzag between cones, and switch hands at every cone.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: from a wheelchair, guide the ball with a pole or a pool noodle along a wide path.
- Low vision: mark paths with thick ropes the child can feel with their feet and use a ball with bells.
- Skill levels: confident kids walk the puppy with a foot; kids who need support use two hands.
Learning goals
- Move a rolling ball along the ground with one hand.
- Follow a marked path while controlling the ball.
- Use both the right and left hands.
Equipment for a class of 25
- large balls: 20
- ropes: 8
- cones: 10
Teacher tip
The puppy story works great: ask kids their puppies' names at the start. Set up the paths before going outside.
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