Introduction
Tennis balls are not just for playing tennis. They can also be a fantastic educational tool in the classroom. With their shape, size, and texture, tennis balls make for engaging, versatile and cost-effective resources that help students of all ages learn a variety of skills. Here are 21 terrific tennis ball games that can be played in any classroom.
1. Tennis Ball Toss: A simple game where students form a circle and toss a tennis ball to each other. This helps improve hand-eye coordination and communication skills.
2. Spelling Bounce: Write letters on tennis balls and have students bounce or toss them to each other to spell out words or phrases.
3. Math Slam: Students must perform simple math calculations (addition, subtraction) before tossing the ball to the next person.
4. Tennis Ball Memory: Place different objects in a bag with a tennis ball. Students must feel the contents of the bag and guess the objects without looking.
5. Tennis Ball Tower: Using only tennis balls, students work together to build the tallest tower possible.
6. Silent Ball: Students pass the tennis ball around the room without speaking or making noise. If noise is made, they sit down and are out of the game.
7. Musical Tennis Chairs: Like musical chairs, but with students holding a tennis ball when the music stops.
8. Alphabet Clearing: Scatter tennis balls with alphabets written on them around the room. Students must find and organize the balls in alphabetical order.
9. Balancing Act: Students balance a tennis ball on a ruler or flat surface as they walk around obstacles or through a course.
10. Timed Relay Races: Students race to transport tennis balls from one location to another using only spoons or another designated item.
11. Hot Potato: Students pass a tennis ball around in a circle while music plays; when the music stops, the student holding the ball is out.
12. Tennis Ball Targets: Set up various targets, such as paper plates or cups, around the room and have students toss tennis balls to hit them.
13. Find the Match: Write words or phrases on multiple tennis balls and have students work in pairs to find matching words or phrases.
14. Follow the Pattern: Create patterns with colored dots on tennis balls and have students recreate the patterns with their own set of tennis balls.
15. Mind Reader: One student thinks of an object while other students ask yes/no questions to determine what it is. The student holding the tennis ball asks a question, then tosses it to another student who continues the questioning.
16. Synchronized Bounce: Students bounce tennis balls in unison while counting or reciting a poem.
17. Tennis Ball Art: Use tennis balls dipped in paint to create fun art projects on large sheets of paper.
18. Telepathy Tennis Ball Pass: Students must pass a tennis ball by using only their minds (no hands allowed).
19. Rapid Fire Vocabulary Game: Teacher calls out a vocabulary word and tosses a tennis ball to a student who must quickly give the definition before tossing the ball back.
20. Tennis Ball Planets: Draw planetary features on tennis balls and have students arrange them in order representing our solar system.
21. Tennis Ball Thunderstorm: Place several tennis balls under a parachute or sheet for students to shake, creating a thunderstorm effect.
Conclusion
These 21 terrific tennis ball games can be easily implemented in any classroom to create hands-on, fun-learning experiences for students of all ages. Not only do they offer unique ways for students to practice various skills, but they also foster creativity and teamwork in an engaging environment.
