Challenges
Our skill challenges are easy to set up, require equipment readily found at home and can be played in a garden, park or even your house (if you have a large enough room and your Mum or Dad don't mind!)
Challenge 1.
Equipment needed: 1 football, 2 cones (or 2 buckets, jumpers, plastic bottles etc).
Place the 2 cones approximately 2 metres apart. Stand with the ball approximately 5-7 metres away and aim to kick the ball between the 2 cones without touching them. Every time you successfully kick the ball through the cones narrow the gap between them.
What is the narrowest gap you can successfully kick the ball through?
SportStart tip - try using the inside (or instep) of your foot to hit the ball with accuracy.
Extreme version - try the same game using your weaker foot.
Ultimate challenge - try playing the game blindfolded!
Challenge 2.
Equipment needed: 1 tennis racket, 1 tennis ball.
Hold the tennis ball in one hand and the tennis racket in the other. Imagine that the ball is a nail and the racket is a hammer - hold the racket as you would a hammer when striking a nail. Turn your arm so that the back of your hand is facing the ground and the racket is flat. Place the ball on the racket and aim to keep hitting the ball in the air so that the ball goes just above your head before returning to the racket.
How many times can you keep the ball in the air using your racket?
SportStart tip - try to use smaller movements with your racket arm to prevent the ball from bouncing too high and aim to hit the ball in the centre of the racket.
Extreme version - try the same game but this time hold the racket so that the back of your hand is facing the sky and try to bounce the ball on the ground as many times as you can without losing control of the ball.
Ultimate challenge - try hitting the ball in the air a little higher and doing a full turn before hitting the ball again!
Challenge 3.
Equipment needed: 1 cricket ball (or Kwik-Cricket ball, tennis ball or similar sized ball), 1 set of cricket stumps (or large cone, dustbin, cardboard box etc), 1 hula hoop (or skipping rope or cones arranged in a circle).
Set up the cricket stumps with the hoop placed on the ground approximately 1-2 metres in front of them. Stand approximately 8-10 metres away from the stumps and aim to bowl the ball underarm so that it bounces once in the hoop and hits the stumps.
How many times can you bounce the ball into the hoop then hit the stumps when bowling an over (6 balls)?
SportStart tip - use your non-bowling arm to point towards the target and try to get the ball to follow this path.
Extreme version - remove the hoop and aim to hit the stumps with the ball only bouncing once.
Ultimate challenge - remove the two outer stumps and try to hit the remaining centre stump with the ball only bouncing once (or use a smaller target if you don't have any cricket stumps)!
Call us on 01483 421495
Want to improve your skills outside of school? Why not try your hand (or foot) at our skill challenges?