Skittle and Wall

Use walls and other objects to develop an understanding of how deflection works. Skittle and Wall is a strategic game that helps develop throwing accuracy and an understanding of ball movement.
A few metres from a large blank wall, set up a variety of targets, such as a container castle, soft toys, or bowling skittles. The children stand infront of the targets (the targets are between the children and the wall). Give each child a tennis ball/bouncy ball/marble.
Step 1:
- Get the children to throw one at a time, starting at a slight angle (to the side of the targets)
- You can give each child multiple tennis balls if you prefer
Step 2:
- If a target is hit after bouncing off the wall, remove the target!
- The next child then takes their turn
Step 3:
- Keep going until all the targets have been knocked over
- Play again, this time at a different angle or distance to continue exploring deflection
- Roll the ball instead of throwing
- Use a larger ball, like a spiky ball
- Start the children close to the wall, with the targets behind them
- Start the children from further behind the targets
- Throw from sharper angles
Before playing, explore and demonstrate how throwing a ball at an angle against a wall affects its path. Explore a combination of soft/hard throws, as well as throws done at a sharp/slight angle. Then, use the teaching cues to develop underarm throwing/rolling skills;
- Step on the star (step with opposite foot onto star marker)
- Swing arm forward
- Throw (fire)
- Start this activity slowly, exploring the rebounding action step by step
- Let the children rebuild the targets/create their own targets