This game is the Japanese worm variation of the Ball in the Middle game. This idea came to my friend Greg and I one night after spending time with our friend Junji Takahashi. You set up the Ball in the Middle pretty much the same. Equal teams, and each person in each team has a number, etc. But, you have a basketball or soccer ball or something in the middle. Then you have all the participants lay on the floor, on their stomachs. Then when the numbers are called each person must crawl on their stomachs, not using their arms, in an inch worm type fashion. They do this while yelling, “Nama Coochy!!!!!” which is the Japanese word for worm. They all go to the middle and have to use their heads to bring the ball back to the group.
This game is an absolute hoot. Usually, you end up all on the floor in tears, because it looks so funny.
You could also just make this a race to the middle if you wanted, but it is more fun bringing the ball back to the group.
Enjoy, I know we do.