ACTIVITY WRITE-UP

Name of Activity: Group Juggle

Type of modality / Active Game/Ice Breaker
Type of play / Shared cooperative
Interaction pattern / Intra-group
# of participants required / 10-20
Equipment/supplies / ·  Small lightweight balls (Nerf)
·  Other assorted items that can be tossed and caught easily (stuffed animals, rubber chicken, bean bags, etc.)
Facilities required/environment / Activity should be done in a room with high ceilings and adequate space for movement.
Precautions / Do not use heavy items that could cause injury if someone were hit with it.

Directions

1.  Leader to instruct participants to form a circle (standing).

2.  Go around the circle and have everyone introduce themselves by first name only.

3.  Leader picks up one ball

4.  Leader calls a person’s name to get his/her attention

5.  Leader then throw the ball to that person

6.  The individual who received the ball is to call another person’s name in the circle to get his/her attention and then toss the ball to that person. (*NOTE: The ball can not be thrown to someone who has already had it. Keep going until everyone has had the ball and it ends up back with the group leader).

7.  Leader to instruct participants to remember who they threw the ball to and who they received the ball from.

8.  Begin the ball toss again following the established tossing pattern.

9.  After a few times around the circle (to make sure everyone knows the pattern), introduce additional items to the “juggle” at the same time.

10.  Once this cycle has been mastered, reverse the order so that everyone now throws to the person they were formerly receiving from.

Activity Analysis

Category / Skills
Primary body position / Standing
Part of the body required / All body parts
Movement / Catching, grasping, bending, picking up, reaching, releasing, standing, stretching, throwing, turning/twisting hands and arms
Physical / Balance (dynamic standing), bilateral integration, cardiovascular endurance, crossing midline, flexibility, gross muscle coordination, motor control, muscle strength, range of motion (upper extremities), range of motion (lower extremities), speed, visual-motor integration
Cognitive / Arousal/alertness, selective attention, sustaining attention, concentration, decision making (simple), initiation, memory (short term), orientation (person), sequencing
Social / Interpersonal interactions, maintaining social space, physical contact, relating with equals, regulating behavior, relationships (forming), self-expression, social conduct, social cues, showing respect and warmth, showing tolerance
Perception / Auditory, tactile, visual
Communication/language / Reception of spoken language, reception of body language, expression of spoken language, producing body language
Self-care / NA
Psychological/emotional (possible) / Excitement, guilt for dropping the item, fear of forgetting the throwing pattern (feeling embarrassed)

How to Simplify the Activity

Decrease number of participants, number of tossed items, and/or tossing speed

How to Make the Activity More Complex

Increase number of participants, number of tossed items, and/or tossing speed

Other Comments

If participants have difficulty with catching, specify that participants should not chase after items if they are dropped. (NOTE: If this is the case, leader should be prepared with additional items that can be introduced into the juggle as items are dropped.)

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