Special thanks to Scouts Aotearoa for sponsoring this activity.

Even when we’re stuck indoors on rainy or sweltering hot days, it’s important for our bodies and minds to find ways to keep active. Balloon Tennis is a super simple game to make and is perfect for playing inside.

What you need:

• 2x round paper plates
  OR two pieces of strong cardboard cut into circles

• 2x rulers
  OR use light pieces of wood - you could even try taping several chopsticks together.

• Sticky tape

• 1x balloon

• Optional pens, pencils and/or crayons to decorate your homemade Balloon Tennis Racquet

What to do:

1. Turn one of the paper plates over so that it is facing downwards.

2. Use the sticky tape to secure a ruler to the back of the plate.
   Tip: Make sure that the top of the ruler is positioned to be just above the centre of the plate to stop the plate from bending/braking when you are swinging your racquet later.

3. Turn the plate over and decorate using coloured pens, etc. (optional).

4. Repeat the above steps until everyone in your family or friendship group has a racquet.

5. Blow up a balloon to be your ball.
   Tip: Don’t over-inflate the balloon. Your plates should be bigger than the balloon.

6. Use the games below to get active indoors!

Balloon Tennis game rules…

You can make up all sorts of balloon tennis game rules, but here are our favourites…

1. Keep it up!
   Players bat the balloon back and forth between them. Every time a player fails to keep the balloon off the floor, they lose a point. Once you lose 5 points, you’re out and the last player standing wins!

2. Solo keep it up!
   Each player bats their own balloon tennis ball in the air and counts to see how many times they can bounce the balloon off their racquet before it hits the floor. The person with the most bounces before their balloon touches the ground wins.

3. Piggy in the middle
   Designed for three or more players, one person is the “piggy” and stands in the middle of two or more players. The person in the middle must try to catch the balloon as the other players try to bat it over the “piggy” to each other. When the person in the middle catches the balloon, they swap places with the person they captured the balloon from.

4. Down you go!
   Each time a player misses a shot, they are physically penalised. When you miss the first shot, you must balance on one leg. When you miss the second shot, you then need to kneel on one knee. When you miss the third shot, you must kneel on both knees. When you miss the fourth shot, you must sit on the floor. If you miss the fifth shot, you’re out!

Did you give it a go?

Send us a photo of you and your friends/family playing Balloon Tennis and you might find your creation featured on the Upstart website or in a future issue of Upstart magazine… AND win a prize!

About Scouts Aotearoa…

We empower youth through adventurous experiences to lead lives that make a positive difference.

Scouts welcome young people between 5 and 26 and is open to all genders, ethnicities, religions, and abilities. All you need is a sense of adventure and fun!

The Scouts programme is designed to give you ownership of your own adventures.

We want every young person to feel empowered, have adventurous experiences and play an active part in improving their communities

– Scouts Aotearoa