Roundabout Relay (Basketball)

Boy bouncing a basketball

A twist on a classic relay, children develop fast paced dribbling skills - requires multiple participants and a large playing space (hard surface).

Set up

Set out a starting marker. This is where participants will line up. Starting from here, set out a track with markers (water bottles, stacks of books, shoes etc) to indicate a gate. Follow the track around, setting out multiple gates, and looping back to the starting marker. You can use pre-existing lines on a court to help guide your track. Children line up each with their own basketball or if short on equipment, just give the first child in line a ball - returning children can pass their ball to the next child in line.

How to play
Step 1:
  • When you say, "Go", the first participant in line begins dribbling around the track, passing through the gates on the way
Step 2:
  • Once the child has been around the whole track, they high 5 the next person in line, who then begins dribbling around the track
Step 3:
  • Continue until all children have had a turn
    • Count how many gates you each pass through and total up your points!
    • Or, see how many times the team can get around in, for example, 3 minutes
Variations
Make it easier
  • When a child is halfway through the track, the next child can go (requires multiple balls)
  • Do a two handed bounce and catch
Make it harder
  • You can have children dribble around the cones at the gate instead of just moving through it
  • Children can try dribbling on the run, or with their non-dominant hand
  • Try criss crossing the ball under your legs as you dribble
Activity information
Age: Pre-Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6
Equipment: Basketballs, Markers
Duration: 10 minutes
Skill focus
Explore these skills for teaching tips
Skill teaching

When teaching basketball dribbling, first demonstrate the following teaching cues before handing out basketballs;

  1. Push the ball down with your fingers (pat the dog)
  2. Ball in front and to the side
  3. Bounce ball up to your waist

Then let the children have a practice before starting the game.

Physical literacy tips
  • Adults/older siblings join in too!
  • Let the children design a new track after the first round