This fun game was useful during hot Texas summers, but I figured I'd share it now, with so many cooped up due to Covid-19. Hope you all find it as fun as we did.
MATERIALS
- Laundry Basket
- Large Ball (beach ball or rubber/plastic ball best...avoid hard balls)
- Masking Tape or Washi Tape
- A blank wall
SET UP
1. Set an empty laundry basket against a blank wall (remove any glass picture frames or similar items from the wall...posters can stay).
2. 3 to 5 feet away from the basket (or further if you have room), put a short line of masking tape or washi tape on the floor (paralel to blank wall)
GAME PLAY
1. One player at a time will guard the basket. Their goal is to keep others from throwing the ball into the basket. Toddlers and very young children may stand, others should kneel in front of the basket while guarding. The ball may be hit back or caught, but if caught it must be thrown back immediately.
2. All other player lines up behind the tape. Whoever is in the front will try to throw the ball into the basket (younger children may stand, older children must kneel). When the ball is blocked/returned by the "guard" those in the back can help to grab and return it to the person throwing.
3. Once someone throws the ball in the basket, they become the new goalie, and the current goalie goes to the end of the line behind the tape. You may make a 1 minute time limit to get a basket if that becomes an issue (in which case the person throwing would go to the back of the line and give the next child a turn).
4. Children may keep their own score of how many baskets they got, but I've found scores aren't really necessary.
5. Game plays until a certain score is reached, or until everyone is worn out.
