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3. What do jugglers usually juggle?

Beanbags - are good for learning juggling. They don't bounce out your hands and when they hit the floor the don't roll away under your couch, unlike...

Balls - normally brightly coloured for high visibility on stage. Some are designed especially not to bounce and act a bit like beanbags but they still roll. Others are...

Bounce juggling balls - made for throwing down instead of up. Most people consider silicone juggling balls to be the best for bounce juggling but they can easily cost £35 each. For people who can't afford a set there are other types, one of the more common being Oddballs.

Glowing balls/beanbags - for juggling in the dark. There is a large range of glowing juggling props from the very cheap to the very expensive. However, you get what you pay for. Passe-Passe sell hackysacks with a single red LED in each for under a £5 each ... Aerotech sell the Globall Pro, a microchip controlled flashing, strobing and colour changing ball that cost £40 each. Glowing props are fascinating to watch so are used on stage and also by some jugglers at big dance events, raves and clubs.

There are also some luminous (glow in the dark) balls which generally look a bit crap but don't need the batteries changing or recharging and usually bounce, unlike other electronic glowing balls.

Juggling rings- are simply rings of thin plastic. These are not as popular as balls because they hurt if you catch them slightly wrong or trap a finger between them. Also they are severely affected by the wind, due to their large flat surfaces so can only be juggled inside. However, they are usually 12 inches across so are highly visible and often used on stage.

Colour changing rings - are one colour on one side and a different colour on the other. While being juggled the juggler flips them over in turn quickly. An easy but very effective visual trick.

Fat rings - instead of a thin plastic rings, these are moulded hollow plastic, about half an inch thick. These are much softer on the hands and bounce quite well. They are also better for passing as you can see them coming at you, having a much thicker cross section.

Juggling clubs- most non-jugglers think these are ten pin bowling pins, rounders bats, etc. There are many different manufacturers, makes, types, sizes, etc. All are hollow plastic, some have padded handles, many have a wooden dowel down the centre adding strength and weight, most have soft rubber knobs and pads on the ends. Some jugglers like their clubs decorated with sparkly silver patterns, some prefer plain white clubs, others like each one a different colour. Because of the massive variety, almost every juggler owning unique clubs, it is too wide a subject to go into in any depth here.