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Fact File 1: Striking and fielding games for year 3/4
Unit 12: Striking and fielding games - unit 1
Year Group: 3/4

‘Ball Circle’ - Divide children into teams of 8-12. Each child stands within a hoop which forms part of a large circle - not too close together. The team has one ball held by the person in the first hoop. The aim is to throw the ball so that it is caught by the person in the next hoop. Once the ball has been caught the ‘thrower’ can sit down inside the hoop and the new ‘holder’ repeats the process. If a child drops the ball the ‘thrower’ has to run to the ball and throw it again. This is repeated all around the circle. The first team to have everyone sitting down in their hoop is the winner.

‘Bean Bag Circle’ - Divide children into teams of 8-12. Each child stands within a hoop which forms part of a large circle - not too close together. The team has one bean bag held by the person in the first hoop. The aim is to throw the bean bag so that it is caught by the person in the next hoop. Once the bean bag has been caught the ‘thrower’ can sit down inside the hoop and the new ‘holder’ repeats the process. If a child drops the bean bag the ‘thrower’ has to run to the bean bag and throw it again. This is repeated all around the circle. The first team to have everyone sitting down in their hoop is the winner.

Bench Tennis - Children work in pairs to throw a ball so that it bounces over a bench and their partner can catch it. Any other kind of barrier can be used instead of the bench - such as a cane across two skittles, boxes, or a skipping rope.

Cool Down - Leave the hoops where they are and ask children to walk around the hoop circle. Each time they step into a hoop they must stretch up as high as they can. When the teacher says ‘freeze’ the children stand quite still. When she says ‘sun is out’ the children gradually relax their bodies and pretend to melt slowly into the ground. Repeat a few times then ask children to relax in their melted position while the teacher recaps on what children have done in today’s lesson.

Duck Down - Children are grouped in teams of four, each team with a large soft ball. Three children stand in a line behind one another, about a metre apart facing forwards. The person holding the ball stands in front of them, about a metre away and faces the other three children. It is helpful if positions can be marked on the ground with chalk or in another way.

The ball is thrown to the first person in the line who throws it back. This child then ducks down. The ball is then thrown to the second person in the line who throws it back and also ducks down. The ball is then thrown to the third person in the line who runs to the front facing the other children. The original thrower becomes first in the line and the other two children each move back a place in the line.

The game continues until everyone has been the thrower. It can be made competitive by playing against other teams. The first team with everyone sitting down at the end, having thrown, would be the winner.

Hide the Treasure - Children are divided into four teams. Four hoops are set out in a horizontal line at one end of the workspace, each a different colour to match the name of each team. A line should divide the work space in half - either use an existing painted line or chalk a line.

All the beanbags are scattered in the other half of the workspace - use all the beanbags you have - the game is more exciting if there are more beanbags than children.

The teacher asks children to walk, hop, skip, jump, etc. around the treasure (the beanbags) but when she calls ‘Pirates’ the children have to collect a bean bag, run to the line and try to throw the beanbag into their team’s hoop. They must not cross the line. They can return to pick up and throw another beanbag if there are any left but they must only carry one beanbag at a time. They can collect any colour beanbag to throw into their hoops.

The winning team is the one who has the most beanbags completely within the hoops.

‘Hoop Drop and Catch’ - Hoops are placed randomly around the work area. Children work in pairs with a ball between them. They run to a hoop together and the child holding the ball drops it into the hoop. Their partner has to catch it and then they both run to the next hoop to repeat the procedure. The aim is to drop the ball into as many hoops as possible but also to catch it each time.

The game can be made competitive by the child with the ball trying to get to the hoop first and so drop the ball into the hoop before their partner gets there.

If you’re happy and you know it’ - Children sing ‘If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands, If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands, If you’re happy and you know it and you really want to show it, if you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands’. For last verse sing If your heart is beating quickly and your skin is hot and prickly’....

Change the actions to fit various movements - e.g. jump up and down, skip around, hop like this etc.

Keep the hoop full - 10 bean bags are placed within a hoop. The teacher has to throw the bean bags out of the hoop, one at a time and the children must return them to the hoop as quickly as possible so that the hoop does not become empty. If it does the teacher has won.
Children can play this game in groups of 8 or less. The number of bean bags within the hoop can be increased or decreased to make the game harder or easier.

Park and ride - each child has a large ball as a steering wheel and pretends to drive a car according to teacher’s instructions - First gear is a slow walk. Second gear a brisk walk. Third gear a jog. Fourth gear a run. Reverse is moving slowly backwards. Crash is freezing on the spot. Four areas of the work space are designated as Park and Ride centres - eg. Thornhill, Redbridge, Seacourt, Peartree. When the teacher calls out the name of a Park and Ride centre, such as Thornhill, children must move to that area in fourth gear.

Park and ride swap - park next to another car. Change cars by throwing the ball to the other driver and catching their ball.

Tinker Tailor - children stand in a large circle, with a gap between each child. They bounce the ball around the circle to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor, Rich man, Poor man, Beggar man, Thief. The thief runs around the outside of the circle back to his/her place. The tinker pretends to sell pots and pans. The tailor pretends to sew clothes. . The child who is the soldier marches on the spot. The sailor salutes.  The child who receives the ball on ‘rich man’ throws the ball into the air and catches it. The poor man cries because he has no money. The beggar man holds out his bowl to beg.

Treasure Islands - Hoops representing islands are placed, with spaces in between, in one half of the work area. Beanbags are scattered in the other half.

Children are asked to walk or hop, jump, skip etc. around the islands (the hoops) but when the teacher calls ‘Treasure’ children must run to the other half of the workspace to collect a bag of treasure (the beanbag) and then run back to an island and sit on it.

The game can be varied by taking a hoop away each time so that there are not enough islands for everyone or calling ‘Treasure 2’ so that children have to have two people with two bags of treasure on each island.