Pinky Ball Games

Pinky Ball Games

Remember playing with a
Pinky Ball as a kid?
Here are some timeless,
classic Pinky Ball games
to share with your kids!





Pinky Balls have been around since the 1940s! These balls were popular because they bounced so high and were easy to control and play with. They were first created as the inside of a tennis ball. But, sometimes the cores were rejected by the tennis ball manufacturers and were sold to dime stores as an inexpensive ball for kids to play with. Ask your grandparents or parents if they remember Pinky Balls! Bet they do! Kids used to play outside with these balls and make up games for them. Games like Stickball, Wall Ball, Mimsy, and others were very popular. Now you have the chance to create your own games! We've included some of our favorite Pinky Ball games below. What other games can you create?



Mimsy (or Around the World)

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What You Will Need:

• Pinky Ball or tennis ball
• 1 or more players
• Hard, solid wall without windows
• Hard playing surface (such as a driveway)

What You Do:

• If playing with two or more players, each player takes turns bouncing and throwing a Pinky Ball while performing a series of various tricks (called Stumpers or Mimsies). We have a list below of some tricks you can try.
• Create at least ten different sets of tricks to play (the more tricks you have, the more challenging and fun the game is). Player 1 must complete the first trick once, then the second trick two times in a row, the third trick three times in a row, and so on. If a player misses, the ball is passed to the next player. Play always starts at the first trick. The first player to complete all the tricks is the winner.

Tricks (Stumpers or Mimsies):

1. Throw the ball in the air and catch it. Do this once.
2. Bounce the ball on the ground and catch it. Do this two times in a row.
3. Throw the ball in the air, clap three times, and catch it. Do this three times in a row.
4. Bounce the ball once with one hand and catch it with the other hand. Do this four times in a row.
5. Throw the ball against a wall and catch it (do not let it bounce). Do this five times in a row.
6. Throw the ball in the air, touch your toe, then catch the ball. Do this six times in a row.
7. Bounce the ball seven times in a row by hitting the ball with an open hand (like dribbling a basketball).
8. Bounce the ball under your leg. Do this eight times in a row.
9. Throw the ball against a wall, let the ball bounce once, then catch it. Do this nine times in a row.
10. Bounce the ball once, turn around, then catch the ball. Do this ten times in a row.

Variations:

• Part of the fun for this game is coming up with new tricks to try! Invent your own!

Four Square

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What You Will Need:

• Pinky Ball or tennis ball
• 4 or more players
• Hard playing surface (such as a driveway or basement floor)
• Chalk

What You Do:

• Use chalk to draw an 8' square, then draw two lines to divide the square into four squares (each 4' square). Write the number 1 in one square, the number 2 in another square, the number 3 in another square, and the number 4 in the last square. Square 4 is the highest ranking square, and square 1 is the lowest ranking square.
• Determine who stands in which square.
• The person in square 4 serves the ball by bouncing it once in his or her square and then hitting it toward one of the other squares. Players must hit the ball using just one hand.
• The player in the other square let's the ball bounce once, and then hits the ball to any other player.
• The object is to hit the ball into another player's square in a way that that player will be unable to hit it to another player.
• Play continues until one of the following misses occurs: a player hits the ball before it bounces; the ball is hit out of bounds; a player uses two hands to hit the ball; or the ball bounces twice in a square.
• If a player misses, that player moves to the lowest ranking square (square 1) and all other players move up one rank to fill the empty square. The player in square 4 the longest is the winner.

Variations:

• If you have more than 4 players, the person who misses moves to the end of the line, and the next player in line moves into the game.
• If you have a large group of players, try drawing more squares!
• The person in square 4 can change the bouncing rules at any time. For example, he or she might call out "tinies" and then all players must hit the ball with a very low bounce; or "high bouncers" where all players must hit the ball with a high bounce.

1-2-3 O'Leary

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What You Will Need:

• Pinky Ball or tennis ball
• 1 or more players
• Hard playing surface (such as a driveway or basement floor)

What You Do:

• Bounce the ball each time you say a number... 1 (bounce), 2 (bounce), 3 (bounce), O'Leary. When you say "O'Leary", cross your leg over the ball. Continue counting and saying words that rhyme with "O'Leary".
• Continue counting until you miss (or cannot think of a rhyme).
• If you are playing alone, start over with new rhymes, or if you are playing with another player, let that player have a turn. The new player must come up with all new rhymes!
• The winner is the person who can count the highest without missing a bounce or a rhyme.
• Who can come up with the funniest, most outrageous rhymes?
• 1, 2, 3, O'Leary. 4, 5, 6, I'm cheery. 7, 8, 9, how dreary...

Variations:

• Try playing this game with a different three syllable word!

Trigon

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What You Will Need:

• Pinky Ball or tennis ball
• 3 players
• Hard playing surface (such as a driveway or basement floor)
• Chalk

What You Do:

• Draw a large triangle on the driveway using chalk. Each side should be approximately 20 feet long.
• One player stands at each point of the triangle to begin the game.
• Choose a player to start the game. That player then throws the Pinky Ball with his or her left hand to the player on the right. The next player does the same, and so on. The ball must always be thrown with the left hand (unless a player is left-handed, then they must throw with their right hand).
• Throwers can change direction at any time by throwing the Pinky to a player on their left.
• Try to fool the other players by throwing the ball unpredictably, first to the left, then to the right, again to the right, and so on. Whenever you switch directions, the other players are tricked and will most likely miss or drop the ball.
• If the ball is dropped, the thrower gets a point. Play continues until someone reaches 21 points.

Variations:

• This game was played in Ancient Egypt and later passed on to the Romans (where it got its name). This is a fast-paced game (physically and mentally) and is a game of trickery! Think of new ways you can play this game.

Monkey in the Middle

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What You Will Need:

• Pinky Ball or tennis ball
• 3 players
• Any playing surface

What You Do:

• All three players must stand in a line, any distance apart (you decide).
• The player in the middle is the "monkey". The two outside players must toss the Pinky back and forth over the monkey's head, high enough so the monkey can't catch it without jumping.
• If the monkey is able to catch the ball, the player who threw the ball becomes the monkey.
• Play continues following these directions. However, if the monkey in the middle is unable to catch the ball, the throwers should try throwing the ball so it is easier for the monkey to catch.
• This game doesn't really have any winners or losers... it's just a lot of fun to get the monkey out of the middle!

Variations:

• For younger "monkeys", try bouncing the ball past them.
• Try rolling the ball past the monkey.

Hot Potato

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What You Will Need:

• Pinky Ball or tennis ball
• 3 or more players
• Any playing surface
• Music

What You Do:

• While the music is playing, players pass the "potato" (Pinky Ball) to another player as quickly as possible, pretending that the ball is a hot potato.
• When the music stops, whomever is holding the "potato" is out.
• Play continues until only one person remains.

Variations:

• Play Hot Tamale instead! The rules are the same as mentioned above, except that players must pass the tamale by placing it under their chins (no hands allowed).

Annie, Annie, Over!

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What You Will Need:

• Pinky Ball or tennis ball
• 2 or more players
• House, garage, or shed with access from both sides (Make sure there are no gutters or chimneys for the ball to drop into)!

What You Do:

• One player, or team, stands on one side of the house, and the other player or team stands on the other side of the house.
• The first player or team shouts "Annie, Annie, Over!" and throws the ball over the roof. The players on the other side have to guess where the ball will come down and try to catch it.
• Whomever catches the ball, shouts "Annie, Annie, Over!" and throws the ball back over the roof.
• Play continues, following these directions.
• If a player doesn't catch the ball or if they drop it, the thrower gets one point.

Variations:

• The best strategy for this game is to be unpredictable. Try to confuse the other side by throwing the ball so it lands in a different place each time.