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Traditional

Sipa

Also called Kick the shuttle, Filipino footbag

Keep a washer-and-streamer shuttle in the air by kicking it with your foot or knee; most kicks in a row wins.

people
2–20
time
15 min
energy
Medium
materials
Needs prep
Kids-safeHR-safeChurch-safe
Watch it played
What you need2
How to play4

Before you start

Make the sipas the day before: thread the strips through the washer and knot them so the streamers fan out like a shuttlecock. Clear a space of about 2 × 2 m per player.

  1. 1Drop the sipa onto your foot and kick it straight up. Use the inside of the foot, the top of the foot or the knee — no hands.
  2. 2Count every kick out loud. The turn ends when the sipa touches the ground.
  3. 3Each player gets three turns; their best count is their score.
  4. 4Highest count wins. Settle ties with a one-turn sudden death.
What to say3
  1. 1“Sipa on your foot — and KICK! Count with me!”
  2. 2“Eight, nine, ten… double digits!”
  3. 3“New record — twenty-three kicks!”
Host tips3
  • A sipa with too few streamers drops like a rock and beginners get one kick. Make it bushy — more streamers means it floats and everyone scores.
  • Most adults can't do this anymore, which is the fun. Let a kid or lolo who's good at it demo first; the crowd loves it.
  • Running everyone one at a time takes forever. Run all players at once in a circle with partners counting for each other.
Variants2

  • Pair rally

    Two players kick the sipa back and forth over a line or low net; let it drop and your opponent scores.

  • Team chain

    A team stands in a circle and passes the sipa by kicking it to the next player. Count passes in one minute.

Safety2
  • The metal washer can hit faces and windows — play outdoors or in a hall away from glass and spectators.
  • Small children should not put washers in their mouths; use a bean-bag footbag for under-5s.
Good for

Occasions

SchoolFiestaReunionTeam building

Venues

OutdoorIndoor, largeChurch hallOffice
If this one dies early1