No.341
Ringo: Throw and Return the Ring
Japanese name: リンゴ（リングを投げ返す遊び）
Materials
- 1 soft, hollow ring made for ringo
- A central rope or net with padded posts
- Court markers
How to play
- Divide the court with a central rope, one player on each side. Never aim at faces. For children, use 6 × 12 m with a 2 m rope height as a guide, adjusting to a reachable size.
- Serve from behind the back line using one hand. Spin the ring roughly parallel to the ground and send it over the rope. Keep at least one foot on the floor when throwing.
- Catch one-handed before it lands and return with that same hand. Do not walk around while holding the ring or trap it against your body.
- Landing in the opposing court scores one. An out-of-bounds throw, failure to clear the rope or two-handed catch gives the opponent one. Change server every three points played.
- Play to 15. At 14–14, continue until a two-point lead; at 16–16, the next point decides. Change ends when a player reaches eight. Change opponents next game.
Ways to adapt
Younger primary: explain a modified short-distance cooperative version allowing two-handed catches. Preschool: pass by rolling a ring. Compete only once one-handed catches and returns are reliable.