Rollerball

  1. Ball Games
  • Pre K/K

  • Balls

Development Goal

To develop hand-eye coordination.

Before You Start

Skills Practiced:  Evasion, peripheral vision, rolling, agility and spatial awareness.
Equipment Needed: One playground ball or soft dodgeball.
  • The dodgers will stand with their backs against the wall or fence.
  • The pitcher faces them, approximately five feet away.
  • Mark clearly where the pitcher stands, the play area is for the active dodgers and where dodgers go when they are tagged by the ball.
  • Be prepared to explain the boundaries and different roles in the game to the children.
  • Be prepared with consequences if the pitcher hits the dodgers above the waist.

Set Up

Use a play area with clear boundaries and a wall or fence.

How to Play

  • The point of the game is to avoid being hit with the ball.
  • The pitcher tries to roll the ball to hit the dodgers from the waist down.
  • Tell students where the players should stand to dodge the ball and point out where the pitcher stands.
  • Pick a pitcher and line the rest of the children against the fence or wall as dodgers.
  • When a dodger is hit by the ball from the waist down, they step off the wall and join you in cheering.
  • The last dodger to be hit by the ball is the new pitcher.

Variations

  • When a dodger is hit s/he also becomes a pitcher. As the game progresses there are more pitchers and fewer dodgers. This requires adding a few more balls. It also must be clear how pitchers will share the balls.
  • After dodgers are tagged, they need to perform a task, like jumping jacks, in order to get back into the game.