Balloon Volleyball Indoor Game

A balloon

A piece of string or yarn about 6 feet long

2 chairs to tie the string between

Set up your net by tying a piece of string between two chairs. The string should be at about waist height for your child. If it's too high, they'll miss. If it's too low, it won't feel like volleyball.

Blow up a balloon to medium size. A slightly under-inflated balloon floats more slowly, giving your child more time to react.

Stand on one side of the net and have your child stand on the other. You should be about 4-5 feet from the net on each side.

Serve the balloon by hitting it gently upward and over the net. Use an open palm, like a volleyball serve.

Your child hits it back. Any contact counts — hand, fist, elbow, head, or a full-body bump. The balloon is forgiving.

Count every successful volley: "One! Two! Three!" Set a team goal: "Can we keep it going for five hits?"

When the balloon touches the ground, serve again from the other side. No points needed — just keep playing.

Once they have the hang of it, try calling out body parts to use: "Hit it with your elbow!" or "Use your head!" Each body part requires different coordination.

For competitive fun, play to 5 points. You score when the balloon touches the ground on the other person's side.

Balloon volleyball is the ideal gateway to real volleyball because the balloon moves slowly enough for young kids to track it, position themselves, and make contact. It builds every skill they'll need later.

The net doesn't need to be perfect. A string, a ribbon, or even a line of tape on the floor works. The goal is to give your child a target to hit over.

Clear the area of lamps, glasses, and anything breakable. Balloon volleyball gets enthusiastic fast.

For younger kids (3-4), drop the net entirely and just hit the balloon back and forth. Add the net when they can consistently make contact.

Monitor balloon play closely. If the balloon pops, pick up every piece immediately — popped balloon fragments are a choking hazard.