Bat-a-Ball
By D. Stevens
Here's a ball game that your students can make by themselves and play dozens of different ways.
What you need:
- scissors
- large, flexible plastic lid
- ball of yarn
- lightweight ball
How to make it:
- Cut out the center section of a large, flexible plastic lid, leaving the rim about one inch wide. (To begin cutting, fold the lid in half and cut into the center of the fold.)
- Knot one end of a ball of yarn around the rim, leaving a 2-inc-long tail.
- Wrap the yarn around the rim until it is completely covered. Cut the yarn and tie the end to the 2-inch tail at the starting point.
- To make spokes, tie pieces of yarn across the frame.
- To play, bat a lightweight ball (such as a sponge ball, pompom, or table-tennis ball) into the air—by yourself or with a friend. Or, see how long you can bat the ball without missing; or, try it with two hands instead of one; or, see how high you can bat the ball; or, set a timer and see how long you can keep the ball bouncing; or, bat the ball toward a target.