Dodging
Children are ready to be introduced to the skill of dodging in Year 2 and should be fine tuning the skill by the end of Year 5. Some children may take a lot longer to experience to success with this skill as it is a more complex skill. The dodge is a more advanced skill from the sprint run and the gallop.
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Checklist of skill criteria:
- Changes direction by bending knee and pushing off the outside foot
- Change of direction occurs in one step
- Body lowered during change of direction
- Eyes focused forward
- Dodge repeated equally well on both sides
Teaching Strategies
For beginners (at the emergent level of dodging skill development):
- Avoid breaking the skill down, teach as a whole skill
- Set up markers in zig-zag formation and instruct children to touch markers with the outside of their foot (avoid going around markers this can lead to bad habits)
- Play games such as Toilet Tag and Here, There and Everywhere which involve changes of direction
For children at the developing level of dodging skill development:
- Have children experiment with different styles of dodging – wide base of support vs a narrow, body upright v body lowered
- Set-up obstacle courses that involve dodging between markers
- Play tag games where children have to dodge to avoid being tagged - Rock, Bridge, Tree Tag and Octopus Tag
For children at the acquired or accomplished level of dodging skill development:
- Increase the speed of the dodge
- Have a go at double dodges – dodge in one direction and then quickly dodge the other direction
- Incorporate into games such as Dodge Ball, have to dodge ball not jump over it
Teaching Cues
- Bend, push & turn
- Look straight ahead
- Use only one step to change direction
Common Errors
- Trying to do it too slowly with too many small steps
- Looking down at the ground
- Not enough knee bend
- The whole body turns to face the intended direction of travel