Here’s a very simple idea for some fun on Father’s Day. Even little ones can have fun “giving it a shot.” Dad can play each member of the family separately. Games can be played to 5 points, 10 points, or 20 points, depending on how many children are in the family. If the weather is not suitable outdoors, you could play this indoors, providing that you have an area in your home where it would work.

Ahead of time, each child should write an “IOU” for something he will do for Dad if he loses to Dad. Before beginning each game, Dad’s opponent should read what will be “owed” to Dad if Dad wins. If he does indeed lose to Dad, he should then present the “IOU” to Dad. (Others could help the little ones. They might owe 3 big hugs or bring Daddy his slippers whenever he asks for them for the next week.)

YOU WILL NEED:
1. An indoor space or an outdoor space on concrete or blacktop that is 4 feet wide by 10 feet long
2. A round balloon
3. Two chairs
4. Measuring tape
5. Rope or yarn
6. For playing outdoors – Chalk. For playing indoors – 28 feet of tape safe for flooring or carpet
7. Coin

PREPARATION:
1. Take two chairs and place them 4 feet apart in the middle of a perpendicular 10-foot-
long space (5 feet on each side). Tie rope or yarn from one chair to the other, 3 feet
high.
2. For playing outdoors – Using chalk, draw square boundaries. Go 5 feet back from one
end of rope or yarn, 4 feet across, and then 5 feet up to the other end of the rope or
yarn. Do the same for the opposite side.
3. For playing indoors – Using tape safe for the flooring or carpet, make the same
boundaries as noted above. (Some websites say masking tape works for game boundaries, whereas some say it can be a problem to get the adhesive off carpet. I think it would be safe to use masking tape if it’s only on for a few hours. If in doubt, use some blue painters’ tape that’s known to be safe on carpets.)

RULES FOR PLAY (WHICH CAN BE A LITTLE LAX FOR THE LITTLE ONES):
1. Flip a coin to see who “serves” first.
2. A “toss” of the balloon counts as a serve.
3. If the balloon hits the ground on your side, your opponent gets the point. However, if it goes out of bounds or goes under the rope or yarn instead of over without you touching it, you get the point.
4. If you hit the balloon before it’s all they way on your side, it must be played over.
5. If your hand goes past the rope or yarn when the ball is being played, your opponent gets the point.
6. If you don’t get the balloon over the rope or yarn when serving, do it over.
7. Have someone watching call out the score whenever a point is made.
8. Whoever wins the point serves.

If you have some elderly people present, they may be able to play just for fun while seated, minus the rules and points. This game came to me because my own dad had seemed to really enjoy playing this in his wheelchair, despite his dementia. It’s an activity commonly used in nursing homes for exercise, maintaining coordination, and entertainment.