Catch Someone's Diabolo

Group Size: 3 to 40 players
Difficulty: mittel
Material: One diabolo and handsticks per player
Duration: approx. 5-15 minutes

Game Description¶

All players stand in a wide circle or loose group with their diabolos ready. On a shared signal, everyone throws their diabolo high into the air and then tries to catch a diabolo thrown by someone else.

Players who catch another player's diabolo cleanly continue to the next round. Players who miss, catch their own diabolo, or throw in a way that makes the diabolo impossible or unsafe to catch are out. The game continues until only one player remains, or until a final round decides the winner.

Variations¶

• For a calmer version, assign partners before each throw. Each pair swaps diabolos instead of the whole group throwing into the same space.
• For beginners, allow catching any diabolo, including their own, but give bonus points for catching another player's diabolo.
• For a team version, count how many clean cross-catches each team completes over several rounds.

Safety Notes¶

Use a high, open space and keep spectators outside the landing area. Throws must be vertical enough to be catchable and should not drift into other groups. Stop the round if players start running blindly under falling diabolos or throwing too hard to make the game competitive.

Source¶

JugglingWorld - Juggling Games, section: Diabolo Games.