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Games with Beach Balls for Kids

Beach balls are great props for kids' games; they are soft enough to avoid injuries, large enough to make games challenging. For very small children, make sure you pick a suitably sized ball that will be easy for them to handle. As inflatables can suffer punctures, be sure and have a few spare to avoid tears.

Knee Pass
- This is a simple game that teaches teamwork and helps kids improve coordination. Divide the children into two teams and line them up in two rows. Each child should stand at least four feet away from the next. The aim of the game is for the children to pass the ball along the row using only their knees. If the ball is dropped, it must be returned to the start of the row and passing will be started again. The first team to pass the ball all the way along their row without dropping it wins.
Color Match
- For this game you will need beach balls of two different colors. There should be one beach ball for each child. Divide the children into two teams, and give each child a beach ball and a sash in a matching color. The aim of the game is for each team to keep as many of their balls in the air as possible by batting them to each other with their hand. If a ball drops to the ground, it has to be left there. If a child hits one of the opposition's balls he is out of the game. The first team to have no balls left in the air loses.
Beach Ball Math
- Place 10 stickers randomly over a beach ball. Write different numbers on each sticker. Keep to low numbers for young children; you can use higher numbers for older children with more advanced skills. The children should stand in a circle. One child should throw the ball to another who must call out the number nearest to his right thumb. He should then throw the ball to the next child who should call out the number to her right thumb and then add the two together. She should then throw it to the next child who must add the number nearest his right thumb to the last number called. Continue until the addition is wrong, then start again.
Beach Ball Soccer
- This is soccer, but with a decidedly beachy twist. Divide kids into two teams and mark two goal areas in the sand. Then give each child a set of snorkeling flippers. The aim of the game is for each team to get the beach ball into the opposition's goal by kicking it, as in regular soccer. However trying to do this wearing flippers and using a light beach ball will make it a far trickier, and funnier, task than the traditional version.

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