Tennis Titans Joseph de la Nougerede Tennis Titans Joseph de la Nougerede

Archipelago 🎾 🏝️🏖️🌊

Best for older Tots or Titans

Setup

·       Place flat marker spots (“islands”) around the court or playing area, spaced out so there’s room to move between them.

·       Each child starts with a racket and a beanbag balanced on it.

 

How to Play

1.     Children move around the space balancing their beanbags on their rackets.

2.     The coach blows a whistle or calls “Move!/GO!” to start movement, and “Islands!” to signal that they must find an island to stand on.

3.     After each round, remove one or more islands to create a shortage.

4.     The last child to reach an island is out (or does a fun forfeit like 5 star jumps before re-joining).

 

Variations:

Movement Changes:

·       Walking, jogging, running

·       Crab walks, bunny hops, skipping, backwards walking

·       Side-steps, cross-overs, zig-zag patterns

Balancing Challenges:

·       Flip the beanbag and catch it before landing it back on the racket while moving

·       Swap the beanbag for a tennis ball (harder to balance)

·       Use smaller rackets or turn the racket upside-down (handle up) for extra difficulty

·       Add a “one-hand only” rule (non-dominant hand for advanced players)

Extra Game Elements:

·       Safe Zone Rule: Instead of being “out,” players without a dot do 5 keep-ups, a short rally with a partner, or a mini challenge before re-joining.

·       Island Types: Colour-code spots to mean different tasks (e.g., blue = balance on one leg, red = bounce the ball 3 times before staying).

·       Moving Islands: Coach or helpers slowly move a spot during play—players can chase it to claim it.

·       Double Trouble: Two players must share the same island without dropping their beanbags.

Scoring Option: Award points for each successful island claim instead of eliminating players—the winner is the one with the most points after a set number of rounds.

 

Seasonal Variants

🎄 Christmas – “Melting Ice Floes” 🧊🎅

The islands are icebergs floating in the North Pole!
🎁 Santa’s helpers (children) must carefully cross the icy sea with presents (beanbags) balanced on their sleds (rackets).
When the coach yells "Freeze!", they must find an ice floe to land on — but some are melting (remove spots each round)!
🔁 Swap beanbags for wrapped foam presents or red/green beanbags for extra festivity.

🐣 Easter – “Hopping Egg Islands” 🐰🥚

Kids are Easter Bunnies hopping around with eggs (beanbags or small balls) balanced on their spoons (rackets).
Coach shouts "Bunny Burrow!" and kids must jump onto a safe island.
🌼 Use egg-shaped beanbags and add bunny hop or egg-flip challenges during movement rounds.

🎃 Halloween – “Ghost Island Dash” 👻🍬

Players are trick-or-treaters carrying candy on their trays (beanbags on rackets), moving through a haunted forest.
Coach shouts “BOO!” — and they must dash to the nearest safe zone (spot) before the ghosts get them!
🎃 Some spots can be “haunted” (e.g., red spots = hold your breath, or spin once before continuing).

💘 Valentine’s – “Heart Islands” 💖💌

Children are mail carriers delivering love letters (beanbags) on heart-shaped trays (rackets).
When the coach calls “Delivery Time!”, they rush to find an island mailbox (marker spot).
💌 Use red/pink beanbags and let some spots have a “Love Challenge” (e.g., say something kind before rejoining).

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Mother’s/Father’s Day – “Breakfast in Bed” 🍳☕

Kids are servers carrying breakfast on trays (beanbags), trying not to spill!
Coach yells “Wake up!”, and they must safely reach a bed (spot) before mum or dad sees the mess.
🌞 Add creative tasks like balancing on one leg or delivering to specific colours for “tea,” “toast,” or “fruit.”

Seasonal variation for the 🐣 Easter version of Whac-a-Mole, now featuring Easter eggs instead of bunnies:

🧠 Whac-a-Mole – Seasonal Variations (Updated)

🎄 Christmas – Whack-a-Grinch
Use green cones with balls on top to represent mischievous Grinches! Children dribble with their rackets to the Grinch wall and try to knock them down with controlled swings — careful not to wake Santa! 🎅💥

🐣 Easter – Whack-an-Easter Egg
Use pastel-coloured cones with egg-shaped balls or decorated beanbags on top. These are hidden Easter Eggs! Kids must dribble toward the Easter wall and carefully “whack” the eggs off using their racket — each one reveals a surprise! 🥚🌈

🎃 Halloween – Whack-a-Ghost
Transform cones into ghostly shapes using white cloth or stickers and place balls on top. Children sneak toward the haunted line and try to knock off the spooky ghosts with their racket. 👻🎾

💘 Valentine’s Day – Whack-a-Heart
Place pink or red cones with heart-shaped stickers and small balls on top. Kids take turns knocking down the hearts — one swing at a time — sharing giggles with their racket buddies 💘🏹

👩 Mother’s Day / 👨 Father’s Day – Whack-a-Flower Pot
Set up cones like colourful flower pots with balls as blossoms. Kids “whack” off the old petals to “help the garden grow” for Mum or Dad 🌸🪴 — perfect for Springtime creativity.

Setup

Best for Titans or older Tots

· Place flat marker spots (“islands”) around the court or playing area, spaced out so there’s room to move between them.

·   Each child starts with a racket and a beanbag balanced on it.

 

How to Play

1.     Children move around the space balancing their beanbags on their rackets.

2.     The coach blows a whistle or calls “Move!/GO!” to start movement, and “Islands!” to signal that they must find an island to stand on.

3.     After each round, remove one or more islands to create a shortage.

4.     The last child to reach an island is out (or does a fun forfeit like 5 star jumps before re-joining).

 

Variations:

Movement Changes:

·       Walking, jogging, running

·       Crab walks, bunny hops, skipping, backwards walking

·       Side-steps, cross-overs, zig-zag patterns

Balancing Challenges:

·       Flip the beanbag and catch it before landing it back on the racket while moving

·       Swap the beanbag for a tennis ball (harder to balance)

·       Use smaller rackets or turn the racket upside-down (handle up) for extra difficulty

·       Add a “one-hand only” rule (non-dominant hand for advanced players)

Extra Game Elements:

·       Safe Zone Rule: Instead of being “out,” players without a dot do 5 keep-ups, a short rally with a partner, or a mini challenge before re-joining.

·       Island Types: Colour-code spots to mean different tasks (e.g., blue = balance on one leg, red = bounce the ball 3 times before staying).

·       Moving Islands: Coach or helpers slowly move a spot during play—players can chase it to claim it.

·       Double Trouble: Two players must share the same island without dropping their beanbags.

Scoring Option: Award points for each successful island claim instead of eliminating players—the winner is the one with the most points after a set number of rounds.

 

Seasonal Variants

🎄 Christmas – “Melting Ice Floes” 🧊🎅

The islands are icebergs floating in the North Pole!
🎁 Santa’s helpers (children) must carefully cross the icy sea with presents (beanbags) balanced on their sleds (rackets).
When the coach yells "Freeze!", they must find an ice floe to land on — but some are melting (remove spots each round)!
🔁 Swap beanbags for wrapped foam presents or red/green beanbags for extra festivity.

🐣 Easter – “Hopping Egg Islands” 🐰🥚

Kids are Easter Bunnies hopping around with eggs (beanbags or small balls) balanced on their spoons (rackets).
Coach shouts "Bunny Burrow!" and kids must jump onto a safe island.
🌼 Use egg-shaped beanbags and add bunny hop or egg-flip challenges during movement rounds.

🎃 Halloween – “Ghost Island Dash” 👻🍬

Players are trick-or-treaters carrying candy on their trays (beanbags on rackets), moving through a haunted forest.
Coach shouts “BOO!” — and they must dash to the nearest safe zone (spot) before the ghosts get them!
🎃 Some spots can be “haunted” (e.g., red spots = hold your breath, or spin once before continuing).

💘 Valentine’s – “Heart Islands” 💖💌

Children are mail carriers delivering love letters (beanbags) on heart-shaped trays (rackets).
When the coach calls “Delivery Time!”, they rush to find an island mailbox (marker spot).
💌 Use red/pink beanbags and let some spots have a “Love Challenge” (e.g., say something kind before rejoining).

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Mother’s/Father’s Day – “Breakfast in Bed” 🍳☕

Kids are servers carrying breakfast on trays (beanbags), trying not to spill!
Coach yells “Wake up!”, and they must safely reach a bed (spot) before mum or dad sees the mess.
🌞 Add creative tasks like balancing on one leg or delivering to specific colours for “tea,” “toast,” or “fruit.”

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