Hooptacular Baseball

Skill: Catch, Run, Strike
Time Required: 20
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group
Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs
Play area: Gymnasium (large indoor space), Outdoor - Field
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.
Equipment: Beach Ball
Bases or pylons for bases
Hoops (enough for half of the participants)
Swim noodle or soft bat
Objective:
For teams to score the most runs.
Other Skills:
Underhand throw
Coordination
Speed
Set up:
Set up the bases (or pylons) just like a baseball diamond (in field). Decide how large to make the diamond depending on the skill level of the participants.
Divide participants into two teams.
Step by Step:
1. Have one team start as the batting team, and the other as the fielding team.
2. Designate one participant on the fielding team to be the pitcher.
3. The rest of those participants will each have a hula hoop and will spread out near the bases (infield) and behind the bases (outfield).
4. One participant on the batting team will be at home plate holding a pool noodle or soft bat.
5. The pitcher will under throw the beach ball to the batter.
6. The batter will attempt to hit the beach ball.
7. If they miss, that is strike one, and just like the game of baseball, they get 3 strikes before they're out.
8. When they do hit it the ball, they will start to run to first base.
9. In order for the fielding team to get an out, the beach ball has to go through one of their hoops before it touches the ground.
10. If they do this, then the batter is out, and have to go to the end of their line.
11. If when the batter hit the ball, it didn't go too high and it is very difficult for the other team to catch it through their hoop, then a participant can pick it up and throw it to another participant's hoop so it falls though. It has to go through before the batter gets to first base.
12. Each side gets 3 outs, and then they switch roles.
13. Play for a determined amount of time or until a team gets a certain amount of runs.
Variations:
There will be 2 participants per hoop, and they have to work together to put the hoop in the right location to catch the ball.
Participants can kick the beach ball instead and the pitcher will roll it to them.
Don't use hoops, participants just have to catch the ball, or throw it to the participant at the base the batter is running to.

Adaptations (Blindness/Visual Impairment):
Use a beachball with rice inside so that participants who are blind or visually impaired can hear it. Have another participant guide those who are blind or visually impaired in running the bases.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.