Research Activity Number Seven

Activity: Trampoline Hot Potato 

Target participant group: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or Sensory Integration Disorder

Therapeutic potential of this activity: To allow participants to meet their sensory needs while doing an enjoyable activity. Participants are able to receive deep pressure and other sensory inputs by jumping on the trampoline and by throwing and touching a Koosh ball. This activity also helps participants work on paying attention, staying on task, and ignoring other external distractions. This activity can also help participants to learn multi-tasking and turn-taking.

What other groups may benefit from this activity?

Participants with Asperger’s Syndrome, ADHD, ADD, or Reactive Attachment Disorder may also benefit from this activity.

What groups may not be as appropriate for this activity?

This activity may not be appropriate for geriatric patients because we would not want participants to injure themselves. This activity would not be appropriate for participants in wheelchairs. This activity also may not work well with older youth depending on what activities they find enjoyable.  

Activity description: This activity is meant to be outdoors and for groups of 3-6 participants. If there are more participants than 6, you can do multiple groups.

Facilitation/Instruction:

1. The facilitator will explain that the objective of the game is to jump up and down on the trampoline while also tossing the Koosh ball to other participants on the trampoline. They will also explain that you don’t want to be the person holding the Koosh ball when the music stops. The person who is holding the Koosh ball when the music stops is out of the activity until there is a winner.  
2.  The facilitator will direct 6 participants (at the most) to go onto the trampoline.
3. Once the participants are ready, the facilitator will give one participant the Koosh ball and will begin the music.
4. The facilitator will stop the music after about a minute. Once the music stops, the facilitator will direct the participant who is holding the Koosh ball to come down from the trampoline and take a seat.
5. The game continues until there is one participant standing.
6. If there are more participants in this activity, the facilitator would send the next group up to the trampoline. If there are not anymore participants, the facilitator can have the same participants do multiple rounds.
7. The activity is over once all participants have gone or the facilitator decides that they do not want to do any more rounds of the activity.  

 Resources needed: A medium to large trampoline, any size Koosh ball, and music. 

Best leadership style for this activity: Participative Leadership

Where did you find this activity?

I got the idea for this activity from the game “Crazy Hot Potato” in the book, Chicken and Noodle Games: 141 Fun Activities With Innovative Equipment by John Byl, Herwig Baldauf, Pat Doyle, and Andy Raithby. I decided it would be a fun activity to do Hot Potato on a trampoline; little did I know this game already existed!

Where can others find more information on this activity?

Others can find more information on this activity by going to the following website, (Trampoline Games to Play At Home) http://www.livestrong.com/article/347646-trampoline-games-to-play-at-home/.