Lead up Games

Lead Up Games

What is a Lead-Up Game?

Many students enjoy the game aspect of sports, but don’t enjoy practicing isolated skills. Typically, students become more interested in learning if they play in game-like scenarios. Therefore, lead-up games provide an opportunity for students to practice skills in a simulated game situation. The combination of games and drills provides optimal learning experiences for the students.

Safety is the Key

It must be recognized that all physical activity involves an element of risk. There is an obligation on the part of all participants to minimize that risk. While most of these activities are designed to be used in limited spaces such as the classroom, teachers must use professional judgment and discretion when selecting activities. Safety awareness based on up-to-date information, common sense observation, action and foresight is the key to safe programming.

Activities should provide opportunities that enhance self-confidence and provide a safe environment in which children are physically active participants. Safety is a shared responsibility and students of all ages need to take responsibility for their own safety.

(OPHEA Curriculum Binders, p. 16)

For comprehensive safety guidelines refer to: or, see copies of the Ontario Safety Guidelines and Physical Education Elementary Curricular and Intramural Guidelines located in all schools.

Catch and Score

Equipment Needed: 5 elephant skin balls or 5 volleyballs or 5 beach balls…

1 volleyball net and standards

Description of activity:

Class is divided into teams of 4-6
Two teams contest a mini game first
Other teams wait their turn and stand behind the end line on the side they are on
When teams are ready, teacher rolls in 5 balls which team members pick up
Object for tossing team is to toss ball over net in scoring area however, they are to try not to let opposing team members catch the tossed ball(s)
If a ball is caught without a bounce, the person catching the ball is to bring it to the designated sideline area
First team to catch and place three balls wins and remains on the court
The team that does not win goes to the end line and the next team waiting comes on the floor

Variations:

Have all teams enter from one end line

Winning team remains on queens/kings court losing team joins the end of the waiting line

Or: if using two waiting lines, to make sure one team does not remain on all the time, have a limit of three consecutive wins and then that team must go off the court as well.

Catch, Toss, Set and Over

Equipment: two volleyballs (or substitute type balls)

Net in play

Description of activity: divide class into groups of 4-6 students each

teacher tosses a ball to one team
the first contact mustbe a catch
the person who catches the ball tosses towards a player at the net (preferably in the middle)
that person volleys (or bumps) a ball along the net to another player who then plays the ball over towards the other team and within the scoring area
the process then repeats where the first contact is a catch
if the ball falls or if the second contact is caught, that team must leave the floor and the next team enters the court

Beach Ball Volleyball

Equipment needed: 3 beach balls

3 trainer (floater, large sized) volleyballs

1 official sized volleyball

1 volleyball net

Description of Activity:

divide class into 2 groups
9 players on each side of the net will be on the floor at one time (3 rows with 3 in each row)
begin by using a beach ball as the volleyball
this allows for greater reaction time
(ref) teacher throws the ball into play from the sidelines
the object of the game is to get the ball over the net like in regular volleyball
the official rules of lifting, holding, throwing etc. do not apply
any part of the body may be used to return the ball (caution with kicking of the ball)
when the ball hits the floor, pick it up and throw the ball back into play
Rotation: When the teacher calls rotate, the last row of 3 players will rotate to the center row. The center row rotates forward to the front row and the front row rotates to the back of the court. ( an alternative rotation could be to do so in an S manner, one place at a time)
after playing with one beach ball, the ref will throw one more into the playing area and eventually another so that 2 or 3 balls are in play at the same time
eventually the beach balls are taken out and replaced with the trainer/floater volleyballs and eventually the actual official sized volleyball would be introduced a few classes later

Blind Volleyball

Equipment needed: 3 beach balls

3 trainer (floater, large sized) volleyballs

1 official sized volleyball

1 volleyball net

2 parachutes or large blankets

Description of Activity:

set up the court the same way as in beach ball volleyball i.e. one net and 9 players per side
drape 2 large blankets or parachutes over the net so that both teams will not be able to see each other
players will not see the ball coming but only hear the play from their side
the ref puts the ball into play from the sidelines
follow all the same rules as beach ball volleyball

Four Net Soccer

Equipment required: Pinnies to differentiate the team members (you can do without pinnies if there are none available);

4 nets or objects that will represent a scoring area;

4-6 elephant skinned soccer balls (for indoor)

4-6 utility balls if outdoors

Description of Activity:

Divide class into four even teams (based on level of ability);
Set up four nets (which can be gym mats which are folded to look like nets);
Provide pinnies of like colour to the various teams;
Designate a net for each team to defend;
The object of the game is for all teams to attempt to close down the other three nets in play;
This is accomplished by having five goals scored on that net;
Once five goals are scored on a net, that net is then closed down;
The team that had been defending that net now tries to assist others in closing the remaining nets;
The last net standing/left open is the winner;

***Of note***

There are no goalies…no players are allowed to pick up the ball(s) with their hands as would be the case if he or she was a goalie.

Sideline Soccer

Equipment needed: pinnies to differentiate between teams

soccer ball

end nets

Description of Activity:

Divide students into two teams
Select lines of 4-6 to play on each shift (do this for both teams unless students are older and can do this on their own)
Use regular soccer rules while two teams try to score on each other
Students who are not on the regular court will line each side line(and end line if you wish)
If the ball makes its way to a side line player, she/he can pick it up and do throw in to a team mate
After a period of time, have next line/shift go onto the court
First shift students take the place of the players who are now on the court.

Partner Soccer Score:

Equipment needed: one ball between two students

Description of Activity:

Partners choose their own space and stand 6-8 metres apart
Partners face each other
On the go signal, one partner attempts to pass/shoot the ball between their partners out stretched legs
Then the partner who is trying to put the ball through the legs of the other person must chase the ball and dribble it back to the starting point where she/he tries to score again
Continue for i.e. 1 minute then switch roles
Partners count own goals scored winner assigns a task for the non-winner to perform

Variation: do the above using teams instead of individuals…

Soccer/Cricket Relay

Equipment needed: 1 pylon or plastic bowling pin;

2 pylons to act as a base

1 elephant skin ball (volleyball sized)

Description of Activity:

Divide class into two teams of equal ability;
Decide which team is at bat first;
The team that is at bat must have each player kick and then run once per inning/over;
The fielding team will use a scatter formation to cover as much of the fielding area as possible;
The fielding team is to designate one student to act as the bowler/pitcher;
That persons role is to roll the ball towards a pylon that is set up in the batting area;
If he/she is able to knock the pylon/pin over, the batter is out;
The fielding team will re-set the pylon and then bowl again;
If the batting team does not have their next batter in position, they risk having another out posted against them is the bowler is able to knock the home area pylon/pin over;
Once a batter has successfully kicked the bowled ball towards the opponents, he/she is to run back and forth to and from the designated area as many times as possible;
This is being done while the fielding team is getting the kicked ball and is passing it over and under to all students on their team who have since lined up in a row;
Once the fielding team has done the complete over under relay, the process repeats;

Variations: Have a student act as a catcher and the ball must be delivered to that person before the process can begin again…remember; all players are to have a turn before the roles are switched. This activity is a variation of the game known as Alaskan Baseball.

End Ball

Players: 8-10 on a team (teams unlimited)

Equipment: Pinnies, basketballs

Area: Playground/ Gymnasium

Skills: Passing and Catching

Description of Activity

Two- Three players from each team are selected as end-zone players.
The object is for each team to throw the ball to a team mate in the end zone for a score.
The game starts with one end zone team player in possession of a basketball. This player tries to throw the ball to one of his/her fielders, and then the game begins.
There is no dribbling in this game, encouraging players to move without the ball.
Teams get a point for catching in the end zone and then a point for making the basket after a designated amount of points; you may switch the end zone players.

Variation: Have more then one basketball going at one time, encouraging students to keep their head up at all times and communicate where the pass is going to go.

(Adapted from “Lead-Up Games to Team Sports”- O. William Blake/ Anne M. Volp)

Keep Away

Players: Individual or team

Equipment: Basketballs

Area: Playground/ Gymnasium

Skills: Dribbling, guarding

Description of Activity

The object of the game is to knock away a player’s ball from the playing area while continuing to maintain your own dribble.
The same guarding principles in basketball apply, where the player can not make physical contact with another player.
The ball has to be knocked out of the playing area in order for elimination to occur.

Variations/ Recommendations- Start with a large playing area, so that most people will have success; decrease area as more and more people get eliminated. When students start becoming eliminated, have students do around the world ball handling to work on skills and keep active.

Around The World

Players: 6-8 on a team (teams unlimited)

Equipment: Basketballs and Goals

Area: Playground/ Gymnasium

Skills: Shooting

Description of Activity:

The object of the game is to see which team can have the most members make baskets from the designated spots.
Each team member begins at the first spot and continues as long as he/she makes the shot.
When he/she misses, he/she has two options.
The first is to stay at his/her current spot and wait for next turn. The second option is to “risk it” which means he/she gets another chance to make the shot where he/she missed.
If he/she misses the “risk it” shot, he/she starts over at the beginning on his/her next turn.
The team completing the most circuits is the winner.

(Adapted from “Lead-Up Games to Team Sports”- O. William Blake/ Anne M. Volp)

Bump

Equipment needed: two basketballs and some basketball hoops

Description of activity:

Students line up in one behind the other at the foul line
The first two students have a basketball
The object is to bump out other players and be the last one standing
The first player shoots a foul shot and player two does the same right after
If player one scores before player two she/he retrieves their ball and passes back to the next player in line who then shoots
Now player three is trying to bump player two
If players miss their foul or free shot, they must try to score before the player after them scores.
If the player following scores, the player in front is eliminated or bumped

Sideline Basketball

Players: Any number (No more than 10 on the court at one time)

Equipment: Pinnies, hoops and basketballs

Area: Playground/ Gymnasium

Skills: All the skills in basketball, except dribbling

Description of Activity

The object of the game is to score as in basketball.
Each team is lined up and numbered off along the outside sidelines of the basketball court.
The game is played like a regulation basketball game, with the exception that no player within the court can pass directly to another court player.
The court players must pass it to a sideline player in order to advance the ball.
The ball may not be dribbled in the court.
Sideline players must stay off the court.
Numbers are called to determine the court players each time.
Once the ball has been scored, the court players return to the sideline, waiting to hear the numbers of the next court players.

Scoring: Two points are given to the team who scored the basket.

(Adapted from “Lead-Up Games to Team Sports”- O. William Blake/ Anne M. Volp)

Basketball Golf

Equipment: one basketball per foursome (group)

Description of Activity:

Students work in groups of 4 each with their own ball
While students are forming groups, place ”hole” numbers on the floor at each basket so that there are 9 holes in all (using all baskets)
Each basket will have a few different holes with each hole marker indicating a different place for taking the shot
Each foursome starts at a different basket and/or a different spot at the basket (each basket will have 2-3 starting points depending on the number of baskets your gymnasium contains)
Students move form hole to hole recording their accumulated score as they go…this is done on the golf score card
Par is determined by the distance and the angle for each hole (starting point)

Basketball Golf Tee Card

Name:______

Hole / Par (Goal) / Combined Score)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Total