Page in Japanese

Ball and Music!

Target Grade:1-6
Target English: None, its a way of selecting kids for other games!
Preparation: Ball and Music (obvious really!)

This is a classic, but effective way of selecting which kids will answer questions. You can use it in conjunction with the Ski Game, the Banana Tree Game or the Jeopardy Game.


1. Have a CD player playing some fast, genki music.

2. Whilst the music is playing the kids pass a ball around.



3. You stop the music.

4. The kid who is holding the ball when the music stops is the one selected.

A more advanced, and more effective version of the game is that the kids must perform today's language when passing the ball. For example one kid says "What's your name?", the other kid answers and then gets the ball! Try it, it makes a big difference!


Make sure the music is fast and lively. Turn your back to the kids when you hit the pause button, this removes any accusation of favouritism!

It's usually more fun to let them pass the ball in any direction. However clever kids will soon catch onto the idea of only passing the ball to their teammates. If this happens then simply tell them the ball has to pass along in sequence, along the rows that the kids are sat in.

If there is doubt as to who is holding the ball, for example half way through a changeover, then tell them to "Janken" (paper, scissors, stone). All Japanese kids know this, and more impressively they always abide by the outcome!

Insist that they only pass the ball, not throw it!!

A clean soccer or basketball is usually best. I once used one of the one metre diameter super balls, it was fun for a while, but not very practical!!!!

Copyright (C) 1999/2023 by Richard Graham www.GenkiEnglish.com