A few years ago, during a Phys Ed supply teaching day at a local school I came across SCARF JUGGLING.

I had done ‘ball juggling’ with classes when I was full-time teaching but, to be honest, not just the kids found it very difficult but me as well!  Of course, with ball juggling the required reaction time is considerably less.

So…when I saw scarf juggling, I immediately rekindled my interest in juggling, and with today’s internet avenues to explore scarf juggling further, I found that there are wonderful activities and not the least numerous benefits for kids engaging in this form of physical activity.

If kids, their families and friends are interested, there are any number of You Tube links which give expert guidance to engage kids in all sorts of fun stuff and challenges. 

Scarves can be purchased at any number of sites on the internet, but I know of families which have gone to stores selling chiffon/nylon material and made their own. 

This is a great interest-based way to engage students in research, maths, construction and experimentation to find which and what scarves “float best”.  And yes, the process of DIY makes the activity less expensive.

And how about these wonderful benefits which make juggling scarves a very desirable activity, such as:

• The development of hand-to-eye coordination to improve reaction time, reflexes. spatial awareness, and concentration.
• Developing resilience via problem solving skills.
• Ambidexterity.  Many sports require the participants to be skilled on “both” side of the body, e.g. basketball, football.
• If engaging in scarf juggling with others, then TEAMWORK comes into play.  TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) and it’s great having fun with your friends.
• A wonderful opportunity for being creative via choreography and the synchronisation involved in putting a routine together with the addition of chosen music.
• A sense of achievement and building self-esteem; not just for self but for others.

For those children trying scarf juggling for the first time, there’s this beginners’ YouTube link (about two minutes), starting with just two scarves and “expert guidance”.

And, then, more expert guidance with “three scarf juggling” (another two minutes).

And, some “creative’ comedy scarf juggling for the more adventurous (two minutes).

So, you are only limited by your enthusiasm and imagination!

You might consider some challenges like

• With the express permission of your parents, getting them to film you and then share your scarf juggling ideas and talent with other members of your close family and trusted friends. Would your grandparents enjoy seeing your performances?
• Perhaps you could arrange a group of interested friends to choreograph scarf juggling routine(s) to your favourite friends.  Again, you might like to film these with the express permission of your parents.

Whatever you do, Mr Zed and the CommonHealth Kids team hope you find scarf juggling a fun thing to do and if you are really keen then we know that “practice makes perfect”, hey?

And remember, if you are ever attacked by clowns, then you always go for the juggler first, okay? 😆

Happy scarf juggling!

Image source: https://www.megaform.com/en/set-of-72-juggling-scarves.html