Balloon Brawl is a variation of free-for-all dodgeball, where there are no teams and no boundaries. Players can move anywhere in the gym, even while holding a ball.

If a player is hit by a dodgeball, they are out, and if someone catches a ball you threw, you’re out.

The twist is that each player is given an inflated balloon, and the balloon must stay in the air at all times. Normally this isn’t too difficult, but needing to split your attention between your balloon and the game of dodgeball you’re in makes things much more challenging.

To keep the gameplay different from a normal dodgeball game, only use 2 or 3 dodgeballs. This encourages players to eliminate opponents not only with dodgeballs, but also by targeting balloons.

Players can smack or tap other players’ balloons out of the air to try to eliminate them. A player is eliminated if:

• They are hit by a dodgeball

• Someone catches the ball they threw

• Their balloon touches the floor

• Their balloon touches a wall

An important rule is that no one may grab or trap a balloon, whether it belongs to them or not. Balloons may only be hit or tapped to redirect them.

When a player is eliminated, they should pick up their balloon and sit down where they were tagged out. The round continues until half of the players have been eliminated. At that point, everyone still standing earns one point. Play multiple rounds, and the player with the most points at the end wins.