ball pass

This game teaches skills like teamwork, turn taking and communication. It's also a sensory game, which gives kids a fun way to integrate their senses while moving the whole body. Ball Pass will get the kids using their core and leg strength, and will help develop balance and coordination.  

For ball pass you will need a light-weight rubber ball that their little feet can grasp. (I made the mistake of using a soccer ball once and this was too heavy. A little boy dropped it on his nose. Bad yoga teacher! He was ok...he laughed. But still, use a light ball.) Then have the kids sit in a circle with their feet towards the middle of the circle, sitting fairly close together. They will lay down on their backs and one child will start with the ball in between her feet. She will carry the ball with her as she does plow pose (halasana), and then will pass the ball to the child next to her. That child will then grab the ball with their feet, do plow pose and pass it on.

Need more of a challenge?

If the kids are getting this easily, you can add a second ball into the mix...a "hand ball". Any smaller ball that they can hold in one hand will do. They must pass this hand ball to one another in the opposite direction of the foot ball. Here is where communication really starts. The kids may be looking one direction at the foot ball that is nearing them, and may not notice the hand ball that is trying to be passed. They will need to say "Sara, hand ball!" or "Gabriella, foot ball."

Need MORE of a challenge?

Put a small wooden dowel or an unsharpened pencil between their toes! They will pass this in the same direction as the foot ball. Start the stick a few spots away from the ball, so a kid never has a ball between their feet and a stick between their toes at the same time.

Need even MORE of a challenge?

Make them do all of this with their eyes closed. The kids will need to memorize who is to the right and left of them, so that they can say, with closed eyes, "Melissa, stick!" or "Sam, hand ball."