Set this up twice for thirty children
Group Size
One group of five children
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One group of ten children
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One group of ten children
Set up
Place four hula hoops in a diamond shape around the space you are working in. These are the trees
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Make sure there is four metres between each tree. Together they are the woods
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Create one square using four throw down discs on the edge of the woods. This is the batter zone
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Create one square using four throw down discs in the middle of the woods. This is the bowler zone
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Ask the group of five children to stand behind the batting zone, with one of the batters inside the batter zone
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Give each batter a racquet
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Place one medium sized ball inside the bowler zone and stand inside
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Ask the group of ten children to find a space inside or outside the wood. These are the fielders
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Ask one of the ten children to be a backstop
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Make sure there is four metres between each tree. Together they are the woods
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Create one square using four throw down discs on the edge of the woods. This is the batter zone
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Create one square using four throw down discs in the middle of the woods. This is the bowler zone
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Ask the group of five children to stand behind the batting zone, with one of the batters inside the batter zone
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Give each batter a racquet
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Place one medium sized ball inside the bowler zone and stand inside
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Ask the group of ten children to find a space inside or outside the wood. These are the fielders
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Ask one of the ten children to be a backstop
Equipment Needed
Twelve hula hoops
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Sixteen throw down discs
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Two medium sized balls
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Ten racquets
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Sixteen throw down discs
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Two medium sized balls
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Ten racquets
Aim
Run as far around the wood as possible without being tagged by the ball
How to Play
On the word go, throw the ball towards the batter zone
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Each batter has two attempts to hit the ball
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On the second go they must run around the outside of the trees as far as possible even if they do not hit the ball
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Each batter can choose to run all the way round the wood and back to their group or stop at any tree if they feel they cannot make it
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The fielders must get hold of the ball and try and tag the batter with it before they reach a tree
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Fielders can run with the ball or pass it to other fielders
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If a batter makes it back to their group that is one point, if they are tagged they must return to their group without a point
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Batters can stay at a tree if they choose and the next batter has to hit the ball
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Batters can run again, and get tagged, on the next batter's run around the woods
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The Playgame is complete when the batters have ten points or no batters left to bat
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Each batter has two attempts to hit the ball
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On the second go they must run around the outside of the trees as far as possible even if they do not hit the ball
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Each batter can choose to run all the way round the wood and back to their group or stop at any tree if they feel they cannot make it
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The fielders must get hold of the ball and try and tag the batter with it before they reach a tree
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Fielders can run with the ball or pass it to other fielders
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If a batter makes it back to their group that is one point, if they are tagged they must return to their group without a point
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Batters can stay at a tree if they choose and the next batter has to hit the ball
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Batters can run again, and get tagged, on the next batter's run around the woods
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The Playgame is complete when the batters have ten points or no batters left to bat
Remember you can watch this PlayGame in Action at the top of the page
Have a look at the End of Stage Physical Literacy Expectations
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Change the shape of the wood
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Change the number of trees to six -
Take away the racquet from a child - to switch the objects
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Introduce a fifth tree for a child to run around - to increase the scale of the problem -
Roll the ball to a child rather than throw it - to reduce the possible options
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Specify that it is only three of the fielders that can tag the runners. All fielders can still catch and collect the ball - to reduce the number of decisions that need to be made -
Why can't you make it all the way around the woods?
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How did it feel when you made it all the way around? -
I can run quickly
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I can make contact with a moving object*
I know what others can and cannot do*
I can stop quickly