Ready, Aim, Fire (Striking)

An excellent activity to introduce children to the teaching cues for striking, the children will love hitting (or destroying!) targets. 

Set up

Set up interesting targets - either one big one for everyone to aim for together or multiple smaller targets. If you have a wall available in your space, use this as a 'backboard' behind your targets to prevent balls from going too far.

Set targets up at varying distances, you could use soft toys on top of a stack of books, a bucket/box castle, pop-up goals, laminated pictures stuck on the wall, wickets, chalk targets drawn on a wall, or water bottles. Get creative!

Set up a station where your child stands, with a tee, bat, and ball. If you have extra tennis balls, have a bucket of balls behind the striking stations to allow the children to reload.

Note: The teeball tees and teeball bats can be easily changed to cricket bats and hitting a ball along the ground.

How to play
Step 1:
  • Children position their ball on the tee, ready for the instruction "Ready, Aim, Fire!"
    • Ready = step next to the tee with your front foot
    • Aim = lift your bat, drawing it up behind you 
    • Fire = swing and follow through
Step 2:
  • Once everyone has hit their ball, they can go and collect it, and attempt to knock the target over again, or try a new target!
Step 3:
  • If you have additional balls, place them in a bucket behind the children so they can collect a ball after each hit and have another go. Keep going until the bucket is empty and then everyone collects all the balls
Variations
Make it easier
  • Move children closer to the target
  • Use larger balls
  • Multiple targets means more opportunity for success!
Make it harder
  • Place targets further away to develop power and accuracy
  • Give children specific targets to aim for - "try and hit the teddy this time!"
Activity information
Age: 3-5 years, Kindergarten, Pre-Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6
Participants: 1 +
Equipment: Flat markers (optional), Targets, Teeball tees (optional), Bats, Tennis balls, Cushions (optional), Soft toys (optional), Laminated pictures (optional)
Duration: 10 minutes
Skill focus
Explore these skills for teaching tips
Skill teaching

When teaching striking, be sure to remind children of the teaching cues:

  1. Hands together
  2. Ready: stand side on to the ball (use markers to assist)
  3. Eyes on the ball
  4. Step & swing – step with the front foot toward the target

Explain the teaching cues, with "Ready, Aim, Fire!" incorporated;

  • Ready = step next to the tee with your front foot
  • Aim = lift your bat, drawing it up behind you 
  • Fire = swing and follow through
Activity summary
Physical literacy tips
  • Increase success by having everyone attempt to hit the target at the same time
  • Let children get creative by building/drawing their own targets!