Tire Ball Roll

A team moves an old tire with a ball inside along a marked path, using only strings tied to the tire - no touching it with hands or body. It sounds simple, until you try to keep the ball inside and the tire upright at the same time. Best for 4 - 8 players.

Equipment

an old tire with strings attached (pierce the tire with a sharp tool or drill a hole) a ball that rolls freely inside the tire

How to Play

Tie a set of strings to the tire (usually 2 - 10, depending on the number of players), spaced evenly around it. Place a ball inside the tire. The team's task is to move (roll) the tire along a set path using only the strings - players are not allowed to touch the tire with their body.

While moving, the ball must not fall out and the tire must not tip over. The path can go uphill, downhill, through turns, backwards, or over obstacles - however challenging you want to make it.

If there are more players than strings, some players can hold more than one string at a time.

Tips & Variations

Before the real attempt, let the team walk the path once with an empty tire (no ball) to get a feel for the coordination without any risk. Adjust the difficulty with the size of the ball. A small ball rarely falls out, a bigger one needs much finer teamwork. Blindfold one or two players. The rest of the team has to guide them by voice. String length affects difficulty directly. Shorter strings mean more precise but harder control. Add obstacles on the path, such as cones or low bars, that the team must go around or over. If the ball falls out, the team goes back to the start (or the last checkpoint). A clear penalty raises both tension and focus. For a competitive format, have two teams race on the same course side by side. The team that reaches the finish first without dropping the ball wins.