Sometimes a quick and silly, interactive and physical sing-a-long is just whatβs wanted to begin a theatre show, workshop, or party. Hereβs a VSC Education Department favorite sure to bring smiles and laughs. Weβve played this with third graders and thirty-third graders. Itβs called, βIβve Got a Head Like a Ping-Pong Ball.β Check out the instructions and accompanying video, and youβll be ready to lead your own ping-pong party-starter with style and confidence!
1. Gather your participants and, with your best operatic bravado, demonstrate the Ping-Pong Ball song. Ask the crowd to listen carefully, not just because it such a beautiful and meaningful song, but also because theyβre encouraged to join in when you sing it again. (The song, with lyrics set to the bouncy, bracing tune of The Wilhelm Tell Overture, is very easy to learn. The crowd will join in with you as they become more familiar.) Sing:
Ohhhhhhhβ¦
Iβve got a head like a PING PONG BALL!
Iβve got a head like a PING PONG BALL!
Iβve got a head like a PING PONG BALL!
Like a PIIIIIING β like a PING PONG BALL!
Like a PING, like a PING, like a PING-PONG, PING-PONG, PING-PONG, PING-PONG, PING-PONG BALL.
Like a PING, like a PING, like a PING-PONG, PING-PONG, PING-PONG, PING-PONG, PING-PONG BALL.
PING! PING, PING! PING, PING, PING, PING, PING! PONG!
(The last verse can have PINGS and PONGS arranged in whatever manner pleases you.)
2. Now that your crowd has gotten to know the song, divide into two groups. One group contains the PINGS. The others are the PONGS.
3. Give the instruction, βWhenever you hear your groupβs name, bend your knees and make a little ping pong bounce.β If you have an assistant, itβs great to have them lead the PINGS, as you lead the PONGS. Do a little βPING! PONG!β bounce test to try it out.
4. Now, at a slow tempo o help folks easily sing and follow along, lead the song anew, reminding the PINGS and PONGS to bend at the knees when they hear their respective group names.
5. That was a lot of fun. So now youβll want to do it againβ¦ but FASTER!
6. That was SO MUCH fun! Now youβll want to do it againβ¦ but EVEN FASTER!
7. Repeat the song until everyone is thoroughly ping-ponged and/or you collapse from exhaustion.