DIY Ball and Ramp

Have a ball with this activity in which your kids can build their own ball – and a ramp!

Supplies

You won’t need all of these, just round up whatever you have at home that your child may be able to experiment with.

  • Play-Doh/clay
  • Rubber bands
  • Scraps of fabric/washcloths
  • Paper
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Rulers/paint sticks
  • Twist ties
  • Foam sheets
  • Cardboard
  • Plastic wrap
  • Aluminum foil
  • Plastic containers

Instructions

Let your child build a ball. It can be as simple as rolling some clay into a ball or a more complex ball made from scrunching up fabric and securing it into a ball shape with rubber bands. Let your child experiment with the supplies.

Even if you’re not sure how a supply may be used, grab it and put it out — you may be amazed by your child’s creativity.

Now that you have a ball, it’s time to build a ramp. Ramps can be simple, like a sofa cushion leaning against the sofa, or a more complex structure made from different supplies that stretch out across the room.

Focus on the free play aspect of this activity. Try to avoid directly telling your child in what to do, but rather try to encourage him or her to think about what works well.

Send your ball down your newly built ramp! Try different balls to see which ones roll faster.  Why do you think that is?

Does the ball roll faster or slower if the ramp is higher or lower? Does your ramp need structural supports to keep it up — if so, what shapes are more structurally sound? Does the texture of the ramp surface make a difference? Change the ramp slightly to see if the speed changes. Experiment with different balls and different ramps to see how they work.

Check out other learning activities from Camp Little Victors: