Pin Down

  1. Ball Games
  2. Recess Games

  • Large Group (10 and up)

  • Grades 1-2

  • Balls

  • 10 minutes or more

Development Goal

To develop problem-solving, cooperation, teamwork, verbal communication, eye-hand coordination, strategic thinking, listening to directions, active listening, depth perception, and a sense of boundaries

Before You Start

  • Set up a signal/whistle for freezing. Remind students that no balls may be thrown after the freeze signal/whistle.
  • Remind students that they are throwing the balls at the pins/cones, not at other students.

Set Up

A large rectangular space, with a line of cones in the middle to separate each team’s side from the other. Balls can be balanced on top of these cones. Bowling pins or pyramid cones should be arranged along each team’s base line.

How to Play

  • The group should be divided into two teams, and each team goes to their end line to wait for the signal to begin the game.
  • At no time may a student from one team cross over onto the other team’s side.
  • When the game begins, students run to the center to grab balls.
  • The goal of the game is to knock over the opposing team’s pins while defending your own, throwing or rolling the balls.
  • Students may not kick the balls.
  • If a pin gets knocked down, no one may touch it. The leader takes the pin out of play.
  • Students may defend their pins by standing in front/back/side of it, but if they knock it over by mistake, it is taken out of play.
  • The game ends when one team has knocked down all the others’ pins.

Variations

  • Separate the space into quadrants or thirds and play with more teams
  • Add more balls or pins