Ikkyo Ball Game for Kids

By Karen De Paola, Skylands Aikikai

This game works best if you can get some soft, spongy-type balls so that if a child accidentally gets hit in the face with the ball, it won't hurt. Here are a few variations depending on the skill level of the children involved.

This is the simplest game: With 2 children playing "catch", 2 children stand facing each other in ai hanmi with enough distance to play catch. Each child has to throw the ball to each other using the ikkyo exercise. To throw, a child holds the ball with two hands in front of their center and swings arms up to throw ball into partner's hands. To catch, child isÊ standing with arms extended up and catches ball then brings ball down to center position.

With 3 children (like for "monkey in the middle")" This time the child withthe ball throws to the child in the middle (again, using the ikkyo exercise described above). Child in the middle catches the ball while standing in hanmi then has to pivot (kaiten) and throw to the child on the other side (using the ikkyo exercise). Kids take turns being in the middle.

You can also do this game with 2 people with the childÊ catchingÊ turned away from child throwing. The child throwing yells kaiten, then throws the ball after the child catchingÊturns around. You can also do irimi tenkan instead of kaiten.

A bit more complicated version of "monkey in the middle". The child on the endÊthrows ball to the child in the middle (again, using ikkyo exercise). The chold in the middle catches ball, throws ball like before, then rolls (forward or back) with the child on end then taking the middle spot.