Keep Playing Week 15
Game of the Week: Whoosh Ball
This week, Playworks is featuring a game that will get the crowd up, moving, and having fun. This is a game where everyone is included the entire time.
Skill Focus:
Inviting play – Making sure everyone feels comfortable participating and has everything they need to be able to join in.
Play In-Person
Play Virtually
Simplified Game Instructions
# of people to play: 5+
Best for ages: 6+
Setup/Teaching Time: 2-3 minutes
Equipment needed: One cone (or other marker object) for each player
Goal: to keep the ball moving without stopping play. Include everyone and make sure each player gets a turn to receive the ball.
How to Play:
- Game facilitator begins with an imaginary ball – the “whoosh” ball. Players stand in a circle behind a cone or other marker.
- Motions in this game include:
- Whoosh: Move your hands as if you are passing a ball
- Whoa: Hold both hands up signaling to stop
- Zap: Step into the circle and clap both hands together, pointing them toward another player
- Boing: Squat down and bounce back up to your seat
- Chaos: Move to another space with hands waving in the air
- The facilitator will introduce one motion at a time allowing all players an opportunity to practice the motion before introducing the next motion.
- Pass the ball around the circle in one direction with each player saying “whoosh” while passing the ball to the next player.
- To stop the whoosh ball, the player receiving the “whoosh” may choose to say “whoa” while placing an open palm to the whoosher. This stops the movement of the whoosh ball and the person who was whoah’d must turn and pass the whoosh ball to the player on their other side. If a player is whoa’d on both sides this is a “double-whoaed whoosh” and the whoosh ball must be passed all the way around circle without interruption until it returns to the player where it began.
- To pass the whoosh ball across the circle, the recipient of the whoosh ball may “zap” the ball to another player. To “zap” a player steps forward, clapping together both hands and pointing them toward one player while making eye contact. The recipient of the “zap” may “zap” the ball to another player or “whoosh” the ball to their left or right. You may not “whoa” a “zap.” You may not “zap” the player to your immediate left or right.
- The recipient of the “whoosh” may also choose to say “boing” while squatting down and bouncing back up. All players in the circle must mimic the same sounds and actions. The person leading the “boing” may boing up to three times in a row, then must pass the “whoosh” to a new person.
- The recipient of the “whoosh” may also choose to call “chaos.” In “chaos” all players must leave their cone yelling (or using inside voices/or just do a silent scream) with their hands in the air, and find a new cone somewhere else in the circle. When everyone is at a new cone, the person who called the “chaos” will then pass the “whoosh” to a new player.
Game Debrief
- How did we make sure everyone was able to participate during this game?
- What are some ways you can include others throughout your day? At home? During recess?
- What are some simple things that make you feel invited?
Game Modifications
Age Group Modifications
- For younger students: Only use “woosh” and “whoa” as your movements in the beginning. Over time, add the others if they seem to get the hang of it.
- For older students: Add extra motions to challenge them (ex. “zap”: recipient must clap before catching).
- For both: Consider using predetermined patterns as an additional support or challenge, depending on the group.
Another Way to Play
- The game may be played with eliminations.
- If a player is whoa’d on both sides this is a “double-whoa’d whoosh” and the whoosh ball must be passed all the way around the circle without interruption until it returns to the player where it began.
- Add “Super chaos” to the list of movements. The caller names a mode of transportation to use during the super chaos.
Academic Application
- Students can play the part of a historical figure or literary character of their choice during Whoosh Ball, modifying their voice, movements, and gameplay to align with attributes of their chosen character.
Brain Break: Shipwreck
How to Play
- The leader explains that they are the captain of the ship and are going to give commands to the players/crew to perform a specific movement or sound.
- Practice doing all of the commands with the players, so everyone understands how to do them.
- If crew members do not follow the commands correctly, they must go to the brig (do 3 jumping jacks) and rejoin the game.
- After playing a few rounds, have the captain select a new crew member to be the captain and start a new game.
Game Commands
- Roll call– Stand or sit up tall with your right hand on your head, salute and say “Aye, Aye Captain!”
- Swab the deck-With an imaginary mop, walk around your space acting like you are cleaning the floor and sing “Swab the deck, swab, swab the deck.”
- Row your boat- Get into your imaginary row boat, act like you are rowing in the water, and sing, “Row, row, row your boat!”
- Seaweed– Sit criss-cross with hands waving in the air, saying “Ewww, ewww.”
- Lighthouse– Spin around with arms up and connected while saying “Weee oooh, weee oooh!”
- Baby shark– Use your hands to make a shark fin on your head, and then the leader passes it to someone else to call out the commands.
Additional Resources
Sample School Community Announcement
For the month of January we are focusing on the theme of social awareness. Social awareness is the ability to assess your feelings, thoughts, and actions through introspection and reflection.
Developing social awareness requires both an internal personal commitment but also a recognition that our external environment plays an important role. While playing Whoosh Ball, there are often tasks that need all players to participate. In the other moments of these fast paced games, players work with people they might not often engage with, creating opportunities to incorporate anyone and everyone.
Teach students to play in class, and then empower them to lead the game and teach others!
Core Recess Game
In addition to our Keep Playing Game of the Week, we’re sharing bi-weekly Core Recess Games that will help kids be active, practice leadership, maximize recess time, and have fun.
This week, learn how to play HUMAN ROSHAMBO!
Return to the Keep Playing Homepage for archives of past weeks and other helpful resources.