Feather Kick
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Description
Keep a shuttlecock, scrunched tissue ball, or any light floppy object in the air using only your feet - no hands allowed. A classic foot-skill game known across Southeast Asia and East Asia; a scrunched tissue is a good starting point if you have no shuttlecock.
What to prep
- shuttlecock
- open_floor_space
Play guide
- 1Gather something light to kick - a shuttlecock works best; a tissue scrunched loosely into a ball is a good substitute. The object needs to be soft and light enough to float rather than fly.
- 2Stand in an open space of at least 4 feet across. No tripping hazards.
- 3Explain the rule - keep the object in the air using only feet. Hands are not allowed once the object is in play.
- 4To start, hold the object at knee height and drop it onto your foot, then kick it up. Demonstrate first so your child sees the motion.
- 5Take turns counting how many kicks you each get before it hits the floor. Beginner success is 1-3 kicks; celebrate every kick.
Success signals
Your child attempts the kick motion repeatedly without giving up. They get at least 1-2 kicks airborne and want to try again after it drops. Counting aloud together ("one, two...") keeps them engaged across attempts
If it's tricky
Your child can't get the object off the ground at all: Drop to a simpler version - hold the object directly on their foot and let them feel the kick-and-release motion. Understanding what "float it" means: A guided first kick with the parent's hand steadying helps them understand what "float it" means. The tissue ball is too heavy (over-scrunched): Loosen it or use a single tissue lightly balled - it should float when kicked, not fly. Your child wants to use hands: Make a silly rule that hands must stay behind your back, which turns it into a game of posture