Four Corner Bowling

Skill: Catch, Dodge, Run, Throw
Time Required: 20
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Small Group
Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs, 13+ yrs
Play area: Gymnasium (large indoor space)
Safety Considerations: Remove any safety hazards and obstacles from the play area.
Remind participants to be aware of their surroundings and to keep their head up.
Remind participants to hit waist down with the dodgeball.
Equipment: Plastic bowling pins (or pylons)
Dodgeballs
Objective:
For participants to knock down the other teams' bowling pins before theirs get knocked down.
Other Skills:
Underhand roll
Coordination
Set up:
Divide participants into 4 equal teams.
Using the lines in the gym, or pylons, divide the gym into 4 quarters.
Two teams will be on one half of the gym, and then divide that into half again. There will be one team at each corner of the gym.
Give each team 3 plastic bowling pins or pylons.
Along the back line of their area, participants choose where to place their bowling pins.
Step by Step:
1. When all the bowling pins are placed on each team's lines, the game can begin.
2. The leader will give 2 (or so) dodgeballs to each team.
3. On the word 'Go', the game begins.
4. Participants throw the dodgeball at any other team's bowling pins and try to knock them down.
5. If all three bowling pins are all knocked down, then that team is out.
6. When a bowling pin in knocked down, participants leave the bowling pin there.
7. It can be put back into play if a participant catches a dodgeball that was thrown.
8. When they catch it, they run and place their pylon back up right on the line.
9. If a participant is hit waist down with the ball (even if it already hit the ground), then they have to run behind their line and do 10 jumping jacks before they can return to play.
10. Play until there is only one team left with bowling pins standing or for a set amount of time.
11.. Remind participants to work together as a team and be sure they are defending and prepared for the ball coming from all three other teams.
Variations:
Once a bowling pin is knocked down, it can never be put back up.
The only way a bowling pin can be put back up, is if a team knocks down a bowling pin of the team that is diagonal from them.
If a participant is hit waist down, nothing happens.
If a participant is hit waist down, they leave the play area and can only return when their team knocks down another team's bowling pin.
Use more or less bowling pins.
Use soccer balls.

Adaptations (General):
For players who are penalized for being hit below the waist with the ball, consider having them perform a fitness challenge which corresponds with their strengths (e.g., a participant with a mobility limitation may prefer push-ups over jumping jacks).

Adaptations (Blindness/Visual Impairment):
Have a team member stand by and make noise beside the opposing team’s bowling pins to help orient participants who are blind or visually impaired.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.