Mirror Mirror
Your child fakes, then dashes to a shoe while you mirror them. Get there first and the ball is theirs.
At a glance
- Lay a rope or towel as a line. Put two shoes on your child's side, four big steps apart. You stand opposite with the ball.
- Your child moves side to side and you copy them like a mirror, at a jog. When ready, they fake one way and dash to a shoe.
- If they reach the shoe before you are opposite them, they shout Free! Pass the ball to them. They stop it and pass it back.
- Do five goes and count the Free! shouts. Then swap: you lead and your child is the mirror.
- Progress 1: You mirror at full speed, staying on your side of the line.
- Progress 2: Full speed, and your child's first touch must take the ball past the shoe, away from you.
If it's not working: You walk while your child runs.
- your child
- Ggrown-up
- run
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A rope on the ground between you, two shoes on your child's side. Your child fakes left and dashes right to a shoe while you copy them along your side of the rope. They get to the shoe before you are opposite them, shout Free!, and you pass the ball to them there.
Full details: set up, how to play, tips
Set up
- Lay a rope or towel on the ground as a line between you.
- Put two shoes on your child's side of the line, four big steps apart.
- Stand facing each other across the line. You hold the ball.
Garden or park. A space about six big steps wide.
How to play
- Your child moves side to side. You copy them like a mirror, at a jog.
- When they are ready, they fake one way and dash to a shoe.
- If they get there before you are opposite them, they shout Free!
- Roll or pass the ball to them at the shoe. They stop it and pass it back.
- Count your child's Free! shouts out of five goes. Then swap: you lead and your child is the mirror.
Make it easier
- You walk while your child runs.
- Put the shoes five big steps apart, so you have further to go.
Make it harder, step by step
- You mirror at full speed, staying on your side of the line.
- Full speed, and your child's first touch must take the ball past the shoe, away from you.
Three things to say
- Fake one way, then go the other.
- Slow, slow, then fast!
- Shout Free! and show where you want the ball.
Words that work: "You lost me!", "Brilliant fake!", "Great shout!"
Colts habit
Be brave: try a new fake every go.
Both feet
Stop the ball with the foot nearest the shoe, then pass back with the other.
Heads up
Watch the mirror's feet, then go the way they are not.
For your birth year
Pick a birth year to show the tweak for that group.
- 2020 to 2021
- Play copycat first with no ball, then add the dash to a shoe.
- 2018 to 2019
- Shoes four big steps apart, and you roll the ball with your hands.
- 2016 to 2017
- Shoes four big steps apart, and you pass the ball with your foot.
Safety: Stay on your own side of the line so nobody bumps. Clear the space first.
My best
Free! shouts out of 5 goes. Last time and this time. Only ever compared with their own earlier go, never with anyone else's. Saved on this device only.