Balloon Races
Required: Balloons, 2 Bowling Pins, Dice
Icons:
1: Balloon Head Race
2: Touch the Pin Race
3: Kick the Balloon Race
4: Catch the Balloon Game
5: Team Balloon Race
6: Star (Choose a Game or Race)
After each English drill have one student roll the dice to decide which game or race to play. Each race can be played very quickly with each student taking part at least once per round. Depending on the age of students these games can be made easier or more difficult to fit all ages for lots of fast fun.
Games:
1: Balloon Head Race:
Older Children: 2 students race at a time. Students must use their heads to hit the balloons from their chairs, touch the wall opposite them, and then back to their seats. If the balloon falls to the ground, the student must attempt again. Only heading the ball is allowed. The winner is awarded points
Younger Children: 2 students race at a time. Students can use any body part to hit the balloon across the room, touch the wall, and return back to their seats. For young students (age 4,5,6) this is a feet on its own! The winner is awarded points.
*This game is a lot of fun for all ages!
2: Touch the Pin Race: Place a 2 bowling pins across the room from where the students are sitting. One student from each team gets a balloon. When the teacher says "GO", the 2 students run across the room and must touch the standing pin, with the balloon. Then race back to their seats. If a student knocks over their pin, they instantly lose. If both pins are knocked over, then both students lose. Obviously, students want to lightly touch the pin with the balloon, which is tough when racing back and forth. The winning student is awarded points.
3: Kick the Balloon Race: One student from each team is given a balloon. Students must race to kick their balloon around their pin on the other side of the room. After getting around their pin, the students must kick the balloon back to their team and a student must catch the balloon from their seat. The first student to complete this is the winner and is awarded points. If the pin is knocked over during the race, that student automatically loses.
4: Catch the Balloon Game:
Style A: All students from both teams choose a place in the classroom and sit on the floor. The teacher blows up a balloon and then hits the untied balloon to fly around the room. From the seated position, if a student can catch the balloon, they are awarded many points. If a student can reach the balloon from their seated position after it hits the floor, they are awarded points.
*This is a simple, safe way to play without young children running around and getting hurt.
Style B: One student stands in the classroom with all other children seated, not playing. The teacher blows up the balloon and again hits the balloon to blow out and fly around the classroom. If the one student can race around and catch the balloon, they are awarded points.
*This game takes a bit longer, and is not for all students. I chose one or two students from each team to play each round. This style is a bit more dangerous, as the student is racing around with their head up looking at the balloon. Be sure to play with appropriately aged students. That being said, its a lot of fun if played in a safe manner.
5: Team Balloon Race: 2 students from each team race. Place a balloon between each pair of students. The balloon can be placed between their stomachs, backs, heads etc... The students must race from their seat area, around their pins across the room, and back to their seat area. The first team to accomplish this is then awarded points. If a bowling pin is knocked down during the race, that team loses.
*For older children the teacher can make rules of having students put their arms behind their backs (Stomach race), or across their chest to touch their shoulders (Back Race), in order to make the races more difficult. Then if a balloon falls, they must return to the start and try again. Younger students may just like trying to accomplish this and not worry about winning and losing as its a bit difficult!
6: Star: The student that rolled the dice may decide which game or race they would like to play.
With all of these games (Except game 4), I allowed each student to participate at least once. All of the races take about 10 seconds, so all students should get a chance to play all of the games many times. Hope you enjoy!
Icons:
1: Balloon Head Race
2: Touch the Pin Race
3: Kick the Balloon Race
4: Catch the Balloon Game
5: Team Balloon Race
6: Star (Choose a Game or Race)
After each English drill have one student roll the dice to decide which game or race to play. Each race can be played very quickly with each student taking part at least once per round. Depending on the age of students these games can be made easier or more difficult to fit all ages for lots of fast fun.
Games:
1: Balloon Head Race:
Older Children: 2 students race at a time. Students must use their heads to hit the balloons from their chairs, touch the wall opposite them, and then back to their seats. If the balloon falls to the ground, the student must attempt again. Only heading the ball is allowed. The winner is awarded points
Younger Children: 2 students race at a time. Students can use any body part to hit the balloon across the room, touch the wall, and return back to their seats. For young students (age 4,5,6) this is a feet on its own! The winner is awarded points.
*This game is a lot of fun for all ages!
2: Touch the Pin Race: Place a 2 bowling pins across the room from where the students are sitting. One student from each team gets a balloon. When the teacher says "GO", the 2 students run across the room and must touch the standing pin, with the balloon. Then race back to their seats. If a student knocks over their pin, they instantly lose. If both pins are knocked over, then both students lose. Obviously, students want to lightly touch the pin with the balloon, which is tough when racing back and forth. The winning student is awarded points.
3: Kick the Balloon Race: One student from each team is given a balloon. Students must race to kick their balloon around their pin on the other side of the room. After getting around their pin, the students must kick the balloon back to their team and a student must catch the balloon from their seat. The first student to complete this is the winner and is awarded points. If the pin is knocked over during the race, that student automatically loses.
4: Catch the Balloon Game:
Style A: All students from both teams choose a place in the classroom and sit on the floor. The teacher blows up a balloon and then hits the untied balloon to fly around the room. From the seated position, if a student can catch the balloon, they are awarded many points. If a student can reach the balloon from their seated position after it hits the floor, they are awarded points.
*This is a simple, safe way to play without young children running around and getting hurt.
Style B: One student stands in the classroom with all other children seated, not playing. The teacher blows up the balloon and again hits the balloon to blow out and fly around the classroom. If the one student can race around and catch the balloon, they are awarded points.
*This game takes a bit longer, and is not for all students. I chose one or two students from each team to play each round. This style is a bit more dangerous, as the student is racing around with their head up looking at the balloon. Be sure to play with appropriately aged students. That being said, its a lot of fun if played in a safe manner.
5: Team Balloon Race: 2 students from each team race. Place a balloon between each pair of students. The balloon can be placed between their stomachs, backs, heads etc... The students must race from their seat area, around their pins across the room, and back to their seat area. The first team to accomplish this is then awarded points. If a bowling pin is knocked down during the race, that team loses.
*For older children the teacher can make rules of having students put their arms behind their backs (Stomach race), or across their chest to touch their shoulders (Back Race), in order to make the races more difficult. Then if a balloon falls, they must return to the start and try again. Younger students may just like trying to accomplish this and not worry about winning and losing as its a bit difficult!
6: Star: The student that rolled the dice may decide which game or race they would like to play.
With all of these games (Except game 4), I allowed each student to participate at least once. All of the races take about 10 seconds, so all students should get a chance to play all of the games many times. Hope you enjoy!