Snowball Alley

  • Pre K/K

  • Bouncy Balls

Development Goal

To develop strategic thinking and agility.

Before You Start

Skills Practiced: Throwing, catching, evasion, jumping and running.

  • Clearly define the safety rules:
    • Rolling the ball underhand only. Demonstrated this and have all players practice with an imaginary ball.
    • All balls should be low to the ground, below players’ knees.
  • Teach and give a fair consequence for throwing balls above the knees, such as telling the leader why it is safest to roll the ball below the knees or running to a designated spot on the playground before returning.
  • Divide the fairly group into two teams.
  • One team lines up shoulder to shoulder at one end of the alley.
  • Divide the second team in half. Each half stands outside either set of cones, with the alley in the middle.
  • Explain the rules and ask the players to explain them back to you.

Set Up

Find a rectangle area and create an “alleyway” with the cones. Spread out the balls outside the alley.

How to Play

  • When the teams are in their positions and ready, give a signal to start the game.
  • The running team now has ten seconds to run from one end of the alley to the other.
  • As they are running, the other team attempts to roll the “snowballs” underhand and hit the runners below the knees.
  • Throwers must stay behind the cones when they roll or it doesn’t count if they hit someone.
  • If a runner gets hit or does not make it to the other end of the alley in ten seconds they cheer in a designated area.
  • When all of the runners are eliminated the teams switch roles.

Variations

For more advanced players, allow players to throw the balls underhand below the waist or knees.