Co-operative games involving catching, throwing, kicking and striking
Bingo (Indoor friendly – large space)
thanks to Kelly Dixon (formerly at Holy Rosary Catholic School)
- Set up a netball court (or similar space) with an equal number of hoops in both goal thirds and a number of bean bags in the center third.
- Divide the class into two teams. Each begins from behind the baseline of their goal third.
- On 'Go,' all team members run to collect a beanbag and return to behind the baseline or sidelines of their third.
- Students then throw their bean bag, aiming for it to land inside one of the hoops. If they are successful the beanbag stays, if they are unsuccessful students run to collect another beanbag from either the centre third or their goal third and try again, but must throw from behind the base or sidelines.
- When each hoop has a beanbag inside, the team calls "Bingo".
Mix it up: Upper Primary might like to use upturned cones or spots as targets rather than hoops and vary the throwing style, underarm, overarm, non-preferred arm etc
Equipment: Hoops, cones or spots, beanbags
Space needed: Indoor friendly – large space
'Quiddich' (Indoor friendly-large space)
thanks to Jenny Sullivan from Goulburn St Primary
- Place goals (cone markers a metre apart) at opposite ends of the space (a netball court is perfect).
- Divide students into two teams each on opposing halves of the playing area. Select a couple of students from each team to start as throwers.
- On 'Go' the throwing students throw their balls to either hit opposing team members below the hips or try and score a goal. Once the first ball is thrown any team member can also throw.
- If students get hit below the hips they have to run around the outside of the tennis court before re-entering the game.
- After a nominated time (say 10 minutes) the team who has scored the most goals is declared the winner.
Mix it up: Where DPE groups are vertical (e.g. with a range of grades combined) try making it a little more difficult for the older students e.g. grade 5 and 6 students throw with non- preferred arm.
Equipment: Soft balls x 4, cones x 4
Space needed: Indoor friendly – large space
Rocket Dodge (Suits a large indoor space)
- Set up a space (a netball court or gym area are perfect) into two halves, each containing a set of cricket stumps (usually near the free throw line of the basketball court or top of the D on a netball court) and a 'Rocket' (made of anything you can find that basically replicates a tall skinny rocket, couple of crates or boxes with a cone on top etc).
- Divide the class into two even teams.
- To start the game, place the dodgeballs on the centre line and have all students start from behind a designated spot. On the teachers command, students run to the centre line, pick up a ball and the game begins.
- The ultimate aim of the game is to throw down your opposing teams stumps, but initially you might need to get rid of a few of their team members by hitting them with the dodgeball (normal dodgeball rules apply).
- If hit or a ball is caught on the full from a throw, team members must go to their sideline but may re-enter the game if their team manages to knock down the opposing team's rocket.
- The rocket is re-assembled and the game continues until one of the teams cricket stumps are knocked over.
Best for Upper Primary.
Equipment: Dodgeballs x 4-6, cricket stumps x 2, homemade rockets x 2
Space needed: This game works well in a multipurpose room or indoor court area.
King Ball (Indoor friendly- large space)
thanks to Katie Marson from Scotch Oakburn College
- Divide a large space in half and direct two teams to either end.
- On 'Go' the teams throw their balls (waist down) at the opposition. If an opposition player is hit they're out and must run to the back of the opposing end and remain there. Whilst there they can grab random balls and throw at the back of the opposition; hence the other team has to watch their backs as well.
- If someone throws the ball and it bounces once and the person catches it, the thrower is out and goes to the other end.
- If someone throws the ball and you try to catch it but fumble it; the catcher is out and goes to the other end etc.
- The team that wins is the team that gets everyone on the other team out first.
Best for Upper Primary.
Equipment: Soft dodge ball
Space needed: Indoor friendly – large space
Guardian Angel (Indoor friendly-large space)
thanks to Kelly Dixon (formerly at Holy Rosary Catholic School)
This is a rounders style game, with batting and fielding teams.
- Spread 6 (or more) cones randomly in a large space, all with a small ball balanced on top.
- Divide group into two teams, batters and fielders. Ask fielders to go and stand in the field and batters to form pairs. Batters act in pairs, one is the worker and one is the 'Guardian Angel'.
- On 'Go', the worker from the first batting pair will throw, kick or bat a soft dodge ball into the field and then begin work to place each ball from on top of the cones to beneath them. Once achieved they then set about replacing the balls from underneath to back on top of the cones. Each ball that is moved to either underneath or on top of a cone scores a point.
- Meanwhile the task of the fielders is to try and hit the worker with the dodge ball, below the shoulders. Fielders may not move with the ball. Once the worker is hit, their batting turn is finished.
- The job of the 'Guardian Angel' is to protect their worker from being hit. Each pair has a turn before swapping innings, and obviously if there are two innings each, then each student will have a turn at being a worker and an Angel.
Best for Upper Primary.
Equipment: Soft bodge ball x 1, cones and small balls x 6
Space needed: Indoor friendly. Large space.
Run the Gauntlet (Indoor friendly- large space.)
- Divide the group into two teams, running and throwing.
- Mark a corridor approximately 10m wide in a large space with cones. A Netball court or similar is great and the width of the corridor can vary with the age of the group.
- The throwing team line the corridor and start with one soft dodgeball.
- On 'Go', the running team (one at a time) attempt to "run the gauntlet" down the corridor to the safe area (the D on a netball court is great), collect a hoop and hopefully make it back to their starting area without being hit (below the shoulders) by a dodgeball thrown from behind the corridor line. If the student makes it back, they score (one hoop) and the next runner goes. If hit on the way down to the hoops, the runner stays where they were hit and then acts as a protector of their fellow team runners. They may take one step only to fend off any balls intended for the next runner. If hit on the return journey, students similarly stop where they were hit, stand in their hoop and from there, try to protect their fellow runners. Runners may now decide to select a hoop from the end safe area or from the corridor and these must be lifted up over the body of the students standing in them.
- When all runners have been hit, successful hoops are counted and teams swap roles.
Best for Upper Primary.
Mix it up: The width of the corridor is determined by the skill level of the students. The older students will need a wide corridor, whilst younger benefit from one which is narrower. Throwing style may also vary from under to overarm and as students get the hang of the game, more dodgeballs can be introduced.
Equipment: Dodgeballs (or soft balls) x 3, cones and hoops
Space needed: Indoor friendly. Large space.
Spaceships (Indoor friendly- Large space)
thanks to Alana Binns from Evandale Primary School
- Place a number of hoops (spaceships) in the middle of a playing space and select three students (spacemen) to stand inside each, each with a soft ball (missile)
- When called, runners have to try and run across the playing area to the other side without being hit (dodge ball rules) by a missile.
- The missiles can only be fired from within the spaceship, therefore once fired the spaceman retrieves their ball, moves back to the spaceship and is ready to fire again.
- If hit, students then becomes aliens and must remain on the spot, trying to tag others as they run past. If successful they rejoin the game and the person tagged takes their place. Therefore, you can get out by either being hit by the missile or tagged by an alien, and you can rejoin the game by tagging another player as they run past trying to dodge the missiles.
Best for grade 2 and above.
Equipment: Hoops x 3, foam balls x 3
Space needed: Indoor friendly. Large space.
Mat Ball (Indoor friendly-large space)
- Place a 4 x mats, boxes or crates in diamond fashioned approx. 10-15 m apart.
- Divide class into 4 even teams and identify with bibs. One student from each team is selected to act as goalie and stand on the mat, box or crate.
- Students spread themselves in the playing area and the game begins with a 'tap off" in the centre when the ball is thrown up (by the teacher) between any two opposing team members.
- One team will take possession after the tap and from then the aim of the game is to successfully pass the ball to your team goalie.
- There is no contact allowed, students must be at least a meter away before defending and you may not move with the ball. As turnovers occur and possession changes to another team, they then try to pass the ball to their goalie. Once this happens, the score is kept and the game restarts with another central "tap off".
Best for upper primary.
Equipment: Bib sets x 4, mats or step boxes or crates x 4, ball x 1
Space needed: Indoor friendly. Large space.
Bombardment (Indoor friendly-large space.)
- Place a fitball (or similar) in the middle of square playing space (Netball centre third works well) and give each student a ball.
- Divide students into four teams asking them to spread their team across one side of the playing square.
- On 'go', students throw their balls to hit the fitball and propel it AWAY from their line. Students can collect balls that come across their line and again try to hit the fitball, throwing from behind their line only.
- The aim is to propel the fitball over an opposing line, whilst also trying to protect your line. Once the fitball rolls over a team line, the teacher calls stop, students run to retrieve balls and sit on their line as fast as possible.
- Loosing team must then perform a teacher directed task like running two laps of the square, performing a 30 second plank etc. Game resets with fitball being replaced back in the middle and throwing begins again on the 'go'command.
Mix it up: Throwing technique can be varied from under to overarm, left and right.
Equipment: Tennis balls, similar or slightly larger x 1 per student. Fitball x 1
Space needed: Indoor friendly. Large space.
Roll Ball (Indoor friendly-large space)
- Designate a goal area marked by some indoor goals if you have them or simply two cones.
- Divide group into two teams, with the aim of the game to score a goal by rolling the ball into the designated goal area.
- On 'Go' students may take just one step with the ball, underarm throwing only. The ball must travel along the ground at all times using a technique similar to that of a "Ball Boy" in tennis.
- Turn over of possession if the ball bounces after a throw.
Mix it up: If playing inside, students can use the walls for ricocheting, if playing outside a designated court area will need to be marked. Best for Upper Primary.
Equipment: Tennis ball and goals
Space needed: Indoor friendly. Large space
T-Ball Run (Large space)
- Place 3 cones in the shape of a diamond approx. 15-20m apart, and a T-Ball stand as home plate.
- Divide group into two teams, a batting team and a fielding team.
- The fielding team spreads out in designated area and when ball is batted off the T Ball stand, they (a) field the ball (b) all line up behind the fielding team member and (c) then call "STOP". This stops the batter who after striking the ball into the playing area then runs around the cones. Batter scores a point as they pass each cone and a bonus point if they make it to home plate before the fielders call stop.
- Next batter has their turn and a cumulative score is kept by the teacher. After each batter has had a go, teams swap roles.
Best for Upper Primary.
Equipment: 3 x Cones, T-Ball stand tennis ball or similar, softball bat
Space needed: Large space needed.