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How to Make a Ball Launch Game for Kids

The ball launch game encourages motor reflex development in kids. The simple game involves a board-style launching system that throws the ball into the air. The kid must catch the flying ball before it drops to the ground. Building the game is easy and requires common pieces of wood with minimal hardware. The game is best suited for younger kids in the preteen years, as the action is simple and repetitive. Older, more coordinated kids will quickly master the launch and desire more-challenging games.

Things You'll Need

Skill saw
1/2-inch plywood
Pencil
2-inch wood dowel
Drill
3/4-inch screws
Circular sander
Foam ball

Instructions

- 1
  Cut a 2-foot-by-4-inch piece of 1/2-inch plywood with a skill saw. Measure 5 inches from one end and mark the position on the board with a pencil.
- 2
  Cut a 2-inch diameter wooden dowel to 4 inches of length. Place the dowel on the board at the marked position. The dowel spans the width of the board.
- 3
  Drill a three-fourths-inch screw through the board and into the dowel. Place the screw 1 inch inwards from the edge of the board. Repeat on the opposite edge.
- 4
  Mark the board 2 inches inwards from the long edge or edge opposite the wooden dowel. Work the measured point with an electric circular sander to create a round indentation. The indentation marks the ball position.
- 5
  Place a soft, foam-type ball on the indentation. Step on the dowel side of the board to launch the ball into the air. Catch the ball and repeat.

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