What is a piece of equipment most schools have many on-hand? Balls! Most schools have a lot of different types, from yoga balls to tennis balls. Balls are a great piece of equipment for games and activities that get your students moving objects. Students must learn many types of skills from propelling objects through the air, like throwing a baseball or kicking a soccer ball. Any age can learn new skills and PLAYBuilder is a great resource to find what you’re looking for.
PLAYBuilder is a lesson-planning online tool that offers countless games that use balls to build skills. Here are some easy and fun activities from PLAYBuilder!
Poison Ball
Participants practice throwing at a target as a team.
Grades K-7
Equipment
- One large yoga, omnikin, or big beach ball
- Smaller, softer balls for throwing at the target.
Setup
- Place the large ball in the middle of the playing area.
- Split participants into two teams and have them stand along the end line of the playing area, facing each other (and the balls).
- Give a few softer, smaller balls (e.g. Rhinoskin dodgeballs) to the participants on both sides.
Instructions and Cues
- Participants one-hand overhand throw their ball towards the large ball and try to knock the large ball over to the other team’s side.
- Participants can run to get the smaller balls around the playing area, but can only toss towards the larger ball when standing on the end line.
- The team that knocks the large ball over the other team’s sideline first is the winner.
Circle Ball Pass
Students practice sending and receiving a ball in a circle.
Grade K-1
Equipment
- 1-3 balls. Large, light, squishy balls that are easy for the Grade K-1 students to pass.
Setup
- Students stand in a circle.
Instructions and Cues
- Students start by passing one ball around the circle to the person next to them using two hands.
- After a while, add another ball, possibly upwards of 3.
- Yell “Switch!” and students must reverse the direction of the ball.
- Consider telling the students to back up a step and try throwing and catching.
Beat the Ball
Students practice throwing, fielding, and base running.
Grade 5-7
Equipment
- Softer, smaller balls (e.g. Rhinoskin dodgeballs),
- Cones.
Set up
- Participants work in partners or groups of three.
- Each group has two markers (i.e., rubber dots or cones) about 10-25 feet apart.
- One marker represents home plate, where one participant with a ball stands ready to throw.
- The other one or two participants spread out in the field, facing the thrower.
Instructions and Cues
- The game starts with the participant at home plate throwing the ball hard into the field, and then running immediately to the field marker and back to home plate.
- If the thrower is able to touch the field marker and make it back to home plate before the fielders, the thrower scores a run.
- If the fielders catch the ball or retrieve the ball, and are able to touch the field marker before the thrower makes it back to home plate, no run is scored.
- Participants switch roles every play.
Interested in accessing more activities like these? Sign up today for PLAYBuilder! It’s free to use for B.C. K-7 educators, and features 700+ activities and 100+ lesson plans aligned with the B.C. Physical and Health Education curriculum.
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