Blanket Ball

How To Play Blanket Ball

Divide your group into pairs and give each pair a blanket. In the game, each pair must use their blanket to catch and throw the ball. It could be worth giving the players some practice time with a few balls so they can work out the best technique to coordinate pulling and lifting their blanket to toss the ball in the air.

There are two variations to play this game (and I'm sure you'll be able to think of more!):

Blanket Ball Volleyball

Divide the playing area into two halves with a line down the middle. If possible, you can use a barrier (like a whiteboard or some stand up dividers) or a rope, to create the "net".

Divide the players into two teams and get the pairs to hold their blankets together and to spread out on their side of the net. Give the ball to a random pair to start the game and away you go.

The starting pair uses their blanket to project the ball into the air to toss it onto the other side of the net. They can toss it directly over the net, or to another pair on their team. Once it's tossed over the net, the other team must use their blankets to catch the ball before it hits the ground. Play continues. If the ball hits the ground, the team on the other side gets a point. If a pair throws the ball out of the playing area, the other team gets a point.

You can add in extra rules to make it more challenging if you need. Try setting a limit of passes between pairs on the same team before they throw it to the other side. Try adding in a hoop on the floor which gives the opposite team bonus points if the ball lands in it.

Blanket Ball Relay

Divide the group of pairs into two teams. Get each team of pairs to form a line, with the pairs spread out across the playing area. Ensure there is at least a couple meters gap in between each pair. Place a ball in the blanket of the first pair for each team. It's also helpful to assign a leader to help each team gather the ball when it hits the ground during the race.

Once the relay race starts, pairs must use their blankets to toss the ball into the blanket of the next pair in their team. Pairs cannot move and if the ball isn't caught and hits the ground, they must wait for the helper leader to return the ball to their blanket to try passing it again. If the pass is successfully caught by the next pair, the play continues and each pairs keeps passing it along the line. Once the ball reaches the last pair in the line, they run back to the start and all the pairs shuffle down the line. Play continues until all pairs in a team have cycled through and the order has returned to what it was initially - this team wins!

Added by
Joel
on 11 June 2021