Equipment / Materials Needed

• Soft, no-sting dodge balls (4–8 depending on group size)
• Large open play space (indoor or outdoor)
• Masking tape or cones (optional for marking positions)

Setup Instructions

1. Choose a safe play area with enough room for everyone to move freely.
2. Spread players out evenly across the space. There are no teams in this game.
3. Place the balls in the center of the area.
4. If using masking tape or cones, mark spots where players can return after throwing.

How to Play

1. When the game begins, players grab a ball and try to hit others by throwing it.
2. Players may only take three steps before throwing. More than three steps makes the throw invalid.
3. If a player is hit by a ball, they must sit down right where they were hit.
4. Catching a ball also counts as being hit. The catcher must sit down too.
5. Players who are sitting should watch to see who hit them.
6. When the player who got you out is later hit, that person is out of the game, and you get to stand up again.
7. Keep playing until only one person is left standing or until you choose to end the game.

Safety and Variations

• Use soft balls to avoid injury.
• No head shots allowed. If someone is hit in the head, they stay in.
• Encourage players to throw gently, especially with younger children.
• To make the game faster, limit how many people can be sitting out at one time.
• You can also allow players to return after a set time, such as two minutes, to keep things moving.

Always review the rules before starting. Remind players to be kind and play fair.

See https://young-catholics.com/10116/eternal-dodge-ball-game-that-never-ends for more information.