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Castle Ball

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Average: 4.7 (6 votes)
Group Size: 
Large group (10 or more)
Age Group: 
Grades 3-5
Age Group: 
Grade 6+
Length of Activity: 
10 minutes or more
Developmental Goal: 
To practice working together as a team while playing both offense and defense.
Equipment: 
Cones
Equipment: 
Dodgeballs
Equipment: 
Hula Hoops
Equipment: 
Jerseys
Before You Start: 
Skills Practiced:  Running, accuracy, hand eye coordination and spatial awareness.
  • Split the group into two teams.
  • Identify the play area (large enough for players to run) so that everyone understands the boundaries.
  • Tell players that Castle Ball is like building a “house of cards” out of four to six hula hoops or cones. The structure will stand on its own but will fall when a ball strikes any part of it.
  • Begin by showing the players how to build a castle. Teams can place one hula hoop on the floor and use four hula hoops to form the sides, adding another one on the top.
  • Allow players to practice building castles until they can do it themselves.
  • Demonstrate safe throws--low to the ground so that it can hit the castle and avoids other players' faces.
 
Set Up: 
Use cones to mark clear boundaries for play--a large rectangle that is split in the middle, such as a basketball court.
How To Play: 
  • Play begins with both teams have built one (or more depending on number of players and hula hoops) castles on their side of the play area.
  • Soft foam dodgeballs--approximately one ball per five players or as available--are used to attempt to knock down the other team's castle while protecting your own.
  • One point is awarded each time a castle is knocked down, even if a player bumps into his/her own castle.
  • Castles that are knocked down should be set up as quickly as possible so players can continue playing. The other team may not throw at a castle while it is being built.
  • The game is separated by a center line, which players cannot cross to retrieve a ball.
  • Players should be encouraged to pass the ball to teammates to surprise the defenders or to make sure everyone gets to throw the ball. 
  • In defending the castle, players should be alert, on the balls of their feet, and cooperate with their teammates to form strategies that will best defend their “castles”.
  • Once all castles are knocked down a new round is started.
Variations: 
  • If many hula hoops are available and teams are large, have each team maintain 2-3 castles.
  • If a lot of space is available, you can have multiple games going on at the same time, with teams of three-on-three or four-on-four.  
  • Add additional balls.

Alternative Name of the Game: Sandcastle