Silent ball is a children's game in which a ball is thrown from player to player while everyone remains silent.

The game only requires a single ball and participants will either sit on an elevated platform such as a desk or stand up. Once the game starts, the players must remain silent or else they lose and must sit down. Players continue to toss the ball until there is only one player left, who is the winner.

A player is out and must sit down if they: talk, whisper or otherwise make a sound, move to catch a throw, fail to catch a reasonable throw, throw the ball to the teacher.

There may be variations and additions to these rules. For example, if a player who is sitting, because they are out, is able to catch a throw, they get back into the game.[2] If the ball is tossed inaccurately or in an aggressive manner, the person who threw the ball is out (sometimes only if the receiver does not catch the throw). This is usually taken care of by only allowing underhanded throws. Other adaptations include disallowing a player to throw the ball back to the person who they received it from (unless there are only two players left) and a time limit on how long a player can hold the ball before having to pass it.

This game is frequently used by substitute teachers and regular teachers to give themselves and the class some quiet, relaxing time away from work.