Materials
air-dry modeling dough
yarn
glue
cardboard
scissors
various collage materials
markers, crayons, and colored pencils
Instructions
* November is American Indian Heritage Month.
1. Before doing this activity, make a sample Flip and Catch as described on
the next page.
2. Ask the children what their lives would be like without video games or
TV. Make a list of their responses. Tell them that American Indian children
used to make their own toys. Show them the sample Flip and Catch.
Explain that different types of this cup-and-ball game are found around
the world.
3. Give each child a small amount of modeling dough. Show them how to
roll the dough to make a ball and form the ball around the end of a
length of yarn. Let the balls dry overnight. For extra strength, glue the
yarn in place with glue. Let dry.
4. Help each child trace or draw a triangle on a piece of cardboard and cut
it out. Offer help as needed.
5. Cut a hole in the center of the triangle a bit larger than the ball. An adult
should do this step.
6. Have the children use a variety of craft materials to decorate their
triangles on both sides. Let dry.
7. Help the children punch a hole on one side of their triangles and tie the
ball through the hole.
8. Now it's time to play! Demonstrate how to hold the triangle in their
hands and swing the ball to catch it. It might take a while to get the
hang of this game so encourage the children to keep trying.
More to do Art: Make a multi-colored ball by mixing tempera paint into white dough
or mixing two colors of dough to get a desired color. Adding torn tissue
paper to air-dry modeling dough makes a beautiful marbled effect.
Encourage the children to experiment with different sizes of balls, sizes of
triangles, and lengths of yarn. Think about new ways to toss the ball. Make a
chart of which ways work best for the children.
