Balloons! Your secret, kid-friendly, versatile, inexpensive and under-estimated piece of equipment. They can be used to address visual-tracking, depth perception, eye-hand coordination, modulation of force, integration of both sides of the body with crossing midline, cooperative play, and bilateral motor coordination to name a few uses. | | Basic balloon activities
(Great for any age client, in groups, pairs or individual sessions) - Work on control. Hits or taps must be consistent, even in height and force.
- Count how long can you keep the balloon up without it touching the floor, walls or ceiling.
- Use only 1 hand. Tuck one hand into a pocket and only use the free hand, forcing crossing midline. Switch hands.
- Alternate hands for each tap. Then do 2 taps with the right, then 2 with the left, continue until drops.
- Play with a partner and take turns hitting the balloon straight up in the air. Repeat trying to hit it across to your partner.
- Make a simple racket with paper plates and complete all above activities.
- Have players decorate balloons with letters, numbers, and shapes in different colors. Ask players to call out a decoration that they see before hitting the balloon (ie "Red A")
- Create a path on the table or floor. Ask players to blow their balloon along the path to a finish line. Use several paths for competitive fun if more than one player. Use a straw for hygiene and to carefully direct the balloon.
Group ideas - Play balloon volleyball. As a team get the balloon over a net or designated line using only 3 hits.
- If needed give each player a large piece of paper to stand on as a place marker to keep players organized.
- Put players in a circle (use place markers). Hit up a balloon and call a students name. They must run in and keep hitting it up until they an call the name of the next player. They join the player in the middle of the circle. You can have the first player return to their space or stay in the middle to help keep the balloon from hitting the floor.
- Fill the balloons with water for outside, wet fun. Stand apart from each other and gently toss and catch. Can be in pairs or across a circle.
- Use a beach towel or small blanket to catch and toss the ballon with a partner.
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