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Bowl Games

Bowl race
In the bowl race, everyone sits in a bowl.

Here we present some ideas which are possible with a larger number of plastic bowls. In a hardware store or in a “99-cent shop” you can buy 10-20 bath tubs or bowls buy for a few Euros. The plastic bowls should have a diameter of about 35-40cm. Because you can staple, bowls are also easy to be stored and don’t take up too much space in you toy box.

Those games depend primarily on skill and in this context speed is highly required.

Catching balls with bowls
Catching balls with bowls

Funny Bowl Games

  1. Bowl Skating

    Bowl Skating can be implemented as a race, a relay or a station game. The racer steps with each foot into a bowl. Now he has to cover an obstacle course. Without losing the bowls from his feet and as fast as possible. In this game, it’s advisable to keep some spare plastic bowls at hand because they could break.

  2. Catching balls with bowls

    Each team has 10 tennis balls and a bowl. One kid gets a bowl, the other kids the balls. From a distance of 2 -4 meters, the kids throw the balls (on after the other). The kid with bowl has to catch the balls. That is not all that easy because the tennis ball has the habit to bounce out of the bowl.

  3. Bowl Scramble

    The runner gets 4 bowls. Now he steps in with hands and feet.

    The runner gets 4 bowls. Now he steps in with hands and feet. This way he has to travel a distance of 10 meters. Then the next kid gets a go. It is needless to say that you are not to lose the bowls. This can be a challenge on a rough terrain. If the ground is moody be sure that the children are well protected.

  4. Bowl race

    In the bowl race, everyone sits in a bowl. Now using his hands and feet he has to cover a certain distance without losing the bowl from under his butt. As a challenge, you could allow only for- or backward movements.

  5. Bowl tray

    A bowl is balanced on only one hand through an obstacle course. Inside the bowl, you put a cup or bottle filled with water. The cup or bottle is not to fall over. In the end, you can measure how much water actually spilled over into the bowl.

  1. Balancing a bowl on your head

    A bowl of water has to be balanced on the head. You either can use your hand to hold the bowl or you could also put a soft ring on your head and balance the bowl that way. In this case, however, you are not allowed to use your hands to hold the bowl.

    Measure the water which was transported after so many runs.

  2. Tower Balance

    Water bowl games
    Water bowl games

    Stack 4, 6 or 8 bowls to a tower. Now this tower has to be carried over a certain distance or obstacle course without falling over. Somewhat more difficult and more coordination is required if the tower is built on a 2-meter long board, which 2 players must balance over the course. Speed and coordination are required here. You also can implement 2-3 hurdles.

  3. Target throwing

    You can provide the following objects for throwing: stones, marbles, pine cones, beer mats. Also, provide bowls in different sizes. From a distance of 3-5 meters, those objects need to be thrown into the bowls. The points you can collect depend on the size of the bowl. For example, for the large bowl you get 1 point, for the next smaller bowl 2 points and so on. And do the same with the objects. For a marble or a beer mat, you get more points than for a pine cone. Each player has to decide how to use the objects. There are several ways of how they can score.

  4. Throwing

    Place a tennis ball in a bowl. Now, similar to discus, you circle the bowl and see that you can throw the ball as far as just possible. Alternatively: the bowl is thrown like a Frisbee. How far can the bowl fly?

  5. Bowl-peg-throwing

    In a distance of 3-4 meters, wooden stakes or tent pegs are put into the ground. Now throw the bowl in a way so that it comes to rest on the wooden peg. There are different points for the distance and height of the peg. It is extremely difficult to throw a bowl on a 1m high post without the bowl falling down.

  6. Of course there are other various betting games, where you need bowls

    • Eat an apple out of the bowl. A pretty wet affair. The water should be changed after each player.

    • In a bowl put cream and gummy bears. Now the kids need to eat the gummy bears – or lick the bowl. Instead of cream you could also put pudding or applesauce.

    • Put a cake of soap into a bowl. Only by using the feet the kids now have to transport the soap from A-B. How long does that take each team? It’s a pretty slippery affair!

    • Riding a bicycle, a bowl of water has to be transported through an obstacle course. The bowl is held with one hand one hand between the legs or on the handlebar.

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