Ever played tennis using a ping pong ball? How about with flippers as raquets? If you answered "yes" to both of these questions, you'll be great at Beach Tennis (and likely made up some really cool games as a child). Note: This is a game that must be played with a partner.
The Goal
Flip a ping pong ball back and forth between two players using flippers, and land the ball inside an open cooler.
Equipment Needed
- Two standard sized flippers
- Ping pong balls
- Plastic cooler (standard large size, with lid)
- Chalk, masking tape, or duct tape
How to Play
Set up a basket of ping pong balls on a small table. Place the cooler exactly 15 feet from the basket, and mark a straight line from the table to the cooler using tape or chalk, depending on the surface.
Each person should have a flipper and be standing beside the table, one on each side of the line, facing each other. When the one-minute timer begins, one person grabs a ping pong ball and "serves" it to the other person using the flipper. Players continue passing the ball back and forth down the line, using only the flippers, and have it land in the cooler.
To win Beach Tennis, one ping pong ball must be resting inside the cooler when the timer ends.
The Rules
- You may not touch the ping pong ball with anything but the flipper (except when removing the ball from the basket).
- If the ball lands in the cooler but bounces out, you must start over.
- You may not direct the ball with the flipper.
- You may not double-hit the ball.
- Players may not cross the line that divides them.
Tips and Tricks
This is the type of Minute to Win It game that is only mastered through practice. Staying calm and hitting the ball gently back and forth is the best way to keep momentum and make sure the ball won't bounce away.
The blueprint with video instructions for this game can be found at NBC.com.
