The Game of the Month is Ball Toss Race! All this month and next, we'll be focusing on fun team building games to develop cooperation. The Game of the Week is Multi-Ball!
Group Size: 10+
Age Group: Grades 1+
Length of Activity: More than 10 minutes
Developmental Goal: To develop communication, teamwork and leadership skills.
Equipment: Potato sacks, cardboard, carpet squares or anything that players can easily stand on and carry.
Before You Start:
- On a traditional kickball field, place a kickball, football, and frisbee at home-base.
- Mark the outfield with enough numbers for half the group.
- The numbers should designate outfield play positions.
- Discuss the importance of staying at your position, calling your ball and, if necessary, passing the ball or equipment to teammates in the outfield.
- Be prepared to discuss staying in your kicking order for players in the infield.
- Explain the rules and then ask students to explain the game back to you.
How to Play:
- Divide the group into infield and outfield teams and give each child on each team a number.
- The numbers denote the kicking order and their positions in the outfield.
- Kickers come up to home plate one at a time.
- They can kick the kickball into the field, punt the football or throw the frisbee.
- Then, the student runs around the bases continuously.
- The fielders retrieve the equipment, pass them infield and put them on their appropriate bases; the kickball on first base, the football on second base, and the frisbee on third base.
- The fielders are trying to quickly place the equipment before the runner reaches home-base.
- If the runner gets to home base first that’s a point scored.
- Remind students to be careful about base-blocking and stepping on equipment when running the bases.
Variations:
- Add more equipment choices.
- Equipment retrieved can all be placed at the pitcher’s mound.
- Use three regular playground balls, and let the students kick, throw, or punt all three.
Love implementing Game of the Week? Playworks offers professional development programs that will teach your staff to use recess and playtime to improve health and support learning. Curious to learn more? Submit the Training Assessment form and a local Playworks representative will respond directly.
