Race Track

  1. Ball Games
  2. Recess Games
  3. Rotational Games

  • Large Group (10 and up)

  • Grades 1-2

  • Chalk

  • 10 minutes or more

Development Goal

To develop cooperation, teamwork, eye-hand coordination, strategic thinking, and a sense of boundaries

Before You Start

Divide group into three teams: Team 1 begins in the center of the track with the dodge balls, team 2 begins at a starting line in the track, and team 3 is spread outside the track

Set Up

Set up a circular race track with cones or chalk

How to Play

  • The game involves various heats or rounds, in which students act as race cars running around the track trying to evade the dodge balls.
  • In diagram above, Team 2 is the first set of race cars. At the starting signal, team members begin running around the track in one direction. They run continuously around the track for the entire heat (determined at the beginning – i.e. 1 minute), regardless of whether they get hit by a ball.
  • Team 1 is trying to throw the dodge balls at the cars and hit them from the waist down. Team 1 must stay inside the track when they throw the balls.
  • Team 3 retrieves the balls that are over thrown and throws them back to Team 1 as quickly as possible. Team 3 does not throw balls at the cars.
  • After the heat is over, teams switch positions. Team 2 goes into the center of the track to be the next throwers, Team 1 goes to the outside of the track to retrieve thrown balls, and Team 3 moves into the track to be the next set of cars.

Variations

  • Have students in the center keep track of the number of hits they get.
  • If a car gets hit by a ball, s/he moves to outside of track until another car gets hit.
  • Change how students are moving around the track, and/or vary the length of heats