Recess Ball Games for Children

Dodgeball

• Dodgeball is a simple game but not one for the faint-hearted. Teams line up on opposite ends of the playing area, then take alternating turns throwing a lightweight ball at opposing players. Players who get hit must leave the game. If someone catches a ball thrown at him, he earns his team an "extra live" and a previously eliminated team member may return to the game. The game ends when one team is completely eliminated.

Squash

• The recess version of squash is usually played by several players taking alternate turns to kick a football at a wall. Players are limited to no more than two touches, and lose a life if the ball isn't returned to the wall. The number of lives each player has varies on the number of players. The last player with any lives wins the game.

Wall Ball

• Wall ball is a similar to squash only it is normally played with a smaller ball such as a tennis ball. Players throw the ball so hard that it bounces off the wall and rebounds back into play. The next player must catch the ball before it hits the ground. If she doesn't catch it, she must run to the wall and touch it before the next player picks the ball up and hits the wall with it.

Soccer

• Soccer is an easy game for kids to set up. They only need cones or rocks to represent goal posts and an equal number of players on both sides. Some groups add their own rules for schoolyard games. For example, some may have stipulations on the number of passes that must be made before players can shoot, or restrictions on scoring from inside the box. The ultimate goal is still to outscore the opposing team.

Cats in the Corner

• Also known as "Four Square," this game is played in a square area where the corners are the safe zones. The thrower stands in the center of the square with a light, plastic ball. When the thrower calls "Cats in the Corner," the "Cats" must try to get from one corner to the next without getting hit by the ball. Any player hit by the ball is out.

Donkey

• Players stand in a circle and throw the ball between themselves. Players need to stay alert as each drop translates to a letter that spells out the word "donkey." Once a player has all the letters, he is eliminated. The last player left in is the winner. A smaller, heavier ball like a baseball will increase the level of difficulty of "Donkey."