kick a ball - obvious ,. The others? Never heard them used this way. . "Push around" is a general term that could be used figuratively for just about anything. "nod" with a ball? Nope, not obvious, sorry. Maybe an Americanism? Maybe slang, but likely just creative writing.

An American would likely say "toss a football around on the beach" (because to us, "footballs" usually get thrown). "Kicking a football around" would not be as successful a game, but it's a possibility. Neither "nod" nor "push" make sense.

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