Rock, Paper, Scissors Challenge (Basketball Dribbling)
An active twist on an all-time favourite! Children practice their basketball dribbling skills while battling it out in a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors!
Set up
Ensure children know how to play Rock, Paper, Scissors. Set out a line of cones on a hard court (make it twisty, zig-zag or loop around to make it more exciting!). Station half your group at one end of the cones, and the other half at the other end of the cones. Duplicate this set up to suit your group size, as children can end up waiting a while for their turn. Give each group of children two basketballs each (to the first 2 children in line).
How to play
Step 1:
- When the educator says, "Go!", one child from each end of the line begins dribbling their basketball, zig-zagging around the cones, trying to get to the other side as fast as possible
Step 2:
- When the children meet on the track, the children place their ball on the ground, and play a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors
- The winner of the game continues dribbling down the track, the loser of the game must pick their ball up and run back to the back of their original line, passing their ball to the second child in line
Step 3:
- As soon as a winner has been decided, the next child from the losing child's line begins dribbling their ball as fast as they can through the course, trying to meet the winning child on the track
- Play another game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, and continue this cycle, until one child successfully crosses to the other side of the cones
- Play again, switching up the track or adding new basketball skills to incorporate, such as a figure 8 through your legs every time you pass a cone
Variations
Make it easier
- Make the 'track' shorter for less proficient dribblers
- Spread the cones further apart, so children have more room to manoeuvre the ball
- The educator calls out "Paper, Scissors, Rock!" to help children establish the rhythm
- Children can do two handed bounce and catch
Make it harder
- Make the track longer for more proficient dribblers
- Space the cones tighter together so children have to use greater control while dribbling
- Try dribbling backwards!
- Try cross body dribbling (ball is bounced with one hand and received with the other)
Activity information
Age: Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6
Participants: 4
+
Equipment: Cones, Basketballs
Duration: 10 minutes
Skill focus
Explore these skills for teaching tips
Skill teaching
For basketball dribbling, remind children of the following teaching cues;
- Push the ball down with your fingers (pat the dog)
- Ball in front and to the side
- Bounce ball up to your waist
Activity summary
Physical literacy tips
- Change it up if children are standing around waiting too long for their turn!
- Play continuously, and reduce the pressure of winning, by having a child that successfully crosses to the other side simply join the back of their new line
- Let the children design their own cone track
- Ensure children are all dribbling and completing the course correctly, to create fairness in competition
