Benchball
Large Group (10 and up)
Grades 3-5
Dodgeballs
10 minutes or more
Development Goal
To develop teamwork, hand-eye coordination, and strategic thinking skills.
Before You Start
Line up players and explain the game.
Set Up
Can be played outside or in a gym. Create a large rectangular space (gym, use cones, etc.) At each end of the rectangular space, set up benches using chalk, tape, or cones. The bench should be large enough to eventually fit half the students who will participate in the game. Set up the dodgeballs on half-cones along the middle line that the players can run to and grab once the game starts.
How to Play
- Divide the class into two teams and give one team jerseys. Team 1 should be in one half of the court, Team 2 in the other.
- Both teams choose a goalie. The goalie stands on the bench on the opposition's half of the court.
- Players attempt to throw the ball to their goalie to catch, without it being caught or intercepted by the other team.
- As teams score goals, the scoring player joins the goalie on the bench. Players pass the ball between themselves until someone decides to shoot, but must stay on their half of the court. The goal of the game is to get all the players of your team on your bench, so that they have more people to throw the ball to.
- Once all the players on a team are on a bench, a new game begins.