Juggle Jam

Materials Needed:

Mixture of dried rice or beans – 1 ½ cups per participant

Large container for rice

Regular round balloons – 9 per participant

Plastic sandwich bags (w/o zip lock on top) – 3 per participant

Plastic cups cut down to ½ cup or desired size of juggling ball

Scissors

Plastic grocery bags – about 12 total

Description:

1.  If you don’t know how to juggle, find someone who does or start practicing. The juggling balls that you will be making are perfect for beginning jugglers because when you drop them, they don’t bounce and roll all over the room like tennis balls do.

2.  Before the program – put dried rice or bean mixture into a bucket or other container that is easy for several people to work from at one time. Decide how large you want your juggling balls to be and cut many plastic cups down to this size. I recommend ½ cup or smaller.

3.  Take a plastic cup (that has been cut down to size) and fill it to the top with rice or bean mixture. Pour this into the plastic bag.

4.  Cut the top nozzle portion off of three balloons.

5.  This part takes a bit of muscle. Stretch the first balloon around the plastic bag filled with rice. Repeat with the two remaining balloons. If the 2nd and 3rd layers are the same color, it will be a solid colored ball. You may also cut several holes in the 3rd layer balloon to end up with a polka dotted ball.

6.  Suggest that designs like eyeballs, olives, etc. may be attempted.

7.  Repeat until you have 3 balls.

8.  Demonstrate how to juggle. Have everyone start with only 1 ball, then 2, then 3. For those struggling, they may try juggling plastic grocery bags (not balled up). They fall slowly.

9.  Have a contest to see who can get in the most throws. (Four throws = one jug. Multiple jugs and you are juggling!)

10.  The cut-off portion of balloons may be used as a “bonus fart whistle!”

Additional Resources:

Juggling for the Complete Klutz by Cassidy, John, et. al.

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