Keep It Up (Balloon and Beach-Ball Game)

Keep It Up is a simple team game for kids about 7 to 11 years old. A small group stands in a circle and keeps a balloon or beach ball in the air, counting every touch out loud and trying to beat its record. It gets kids moving to the ball, touching it with open hands or forearms, and working as a team, in a game that feels like play rather than practice. Slow, light balls give children time to move their feet and use volleyball-style contacts, so even kids who have never played can join in and succeed.

Focus

Ball control, teamwork

Level

Beginner (kids about 7–11)

Players

Groups of 3–5 children; any number of groups can play at the same time

Equipment

1 balloon or beach ball per group; later, a light youth volleyball

Space

Room for each group to stand in a circle with space between groups: a gym, a hall or a flat outdoor area with no wind

Time

5–10 min, often as a warm-up

Print this drill

Setup

Each group stands in a circle, about an arm's length or two apart. Spread the groups out so children chasing a ball don't run into another group.

How to run it

1. Split the kids into groups of 3–5 and give each group a balloon or beach ball.
2. Each group stands in a circle. One child starts by tossing the ball up into the middle.
3. Players tap the ball back up with two open hands above the forehead or with their forearms, and the group counts every touch out loud.
4. Nobody may touch the ball twice in a row.
5. When the ball touches the floor, the group starts again from zero and tries to beat its best score.
6. After 1–2 minutes, change the rule: hands only, forearms only, or everyone must touch the ball before anyone touches it again.

Youngest or newest players: play the catch-and-throw version first. Each child catches the ball above the forehead and throws it up to another child with two hands, like a set.

Scoring

Each group keeps its own record: the most touches in a row before the ball lands. For a whole-class challenge, play for 60 seconds at the same time and add up every group's best score, then try to beat the class total in the next round.

Safety

Space the groups so children don't collide, clear the floor of bags and loose balls, and give water breaks. No diving: kids should stay on their feet. Balloons can cause problems: use latex-free balloons if any child may have a latex allergy, and pick up pieces of popped balloons right away, because they are a choking hazard for young children. For youth ball choices, see Volleyballs.

Health note: General information, not medical advice. Young athletes should train under a qualified coach, and anyone with pain or an injury should see a doctor or physical therapist.

Coaching this drill

What success looks like

Children move their feet under the ball and send it up high and soft inside the circle, so the next child has time to reach it. The count grows because touches are playable, not because one child chases every ball.

One cue

“Feet under it.” Move so the ball comes down in front of you before you touch it.

One common error

Hitting hard and far: after a big swing the ball flies out of the circle. Adjustment: praise high, soft touches (“Send it up, not away”) and count only touches that stay inside the circle.

Make it easier

Allow catches: catch the ball, then throw it up to the next child with two hands.

Make it harder

Change the ball: move from a balloon to a beach ball, then to a light youth volleyball.

When to progress

Practice suggestion: change the ball or the rule when a group beats its own record in two rounds in a row, or keeps the current ball up for about 10 touches in a row. Pick a number that suits your group; keeping every child involved matters more than the record.

More cues and common mistakes

• “Call it!” Say “mine” before you touch the ball.
• “Watch the ball.” Eyes stay on the ball all the way to your hands.
• “Hands up high.” Open hands above the forehead, like a window.
• Everyone crowds the ball. Kids bump into each other. Fix: give each child a spot (a cone or hoop) and ask them to return to it after each touch.
• One child takes every ball. Others stop moving. Fix: use the “everyone must touch it” rule.
• Standing still. Kids wait for the ball to come to them. Fix: use a balloon, which falls slowly, and cheer when someone moves to save it.

More ways to make it easier or harder

• Easier: use a balloon, which moves the slowest.
• Easier: with a beach ball, allow one bounce on the floor.
• Harder: forearms only, or hands only.
• Harder: say the name of the child you send the ball to.
• Harder: play over a rope or low net between two groups and count the touches together.

Frequently asked questions