Christmas Tree Timber

Skill: Balance, 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), Outdoor - Field
Safety Considerations: Ensure that participants are only throwing the balls at the Christmas Trees.
Make sure no one is standing behind the Christmas Trees.
Spread the groups out, so that they will not get in each others way.
Do this activity in an open space, where there are not any other groups nearby.
Cans can have sharp edges, so put tape on the edges to prevent anyone from getting cut.
Equipment: Empty food cans or pop cans or toilet paper rolls or anything that can be stacked.
Tennis balls (or rubber balls, beanbags, stress balls etc...).
Tape to create the throwing line.
Optional: prizes to give the participants.
Objective:
For participants to throw tennis balls to knock over a pyramid of cans that create a Christmas Tree.

Other Skills:
Coordination
Set up:
Stack the cans in a pyramid formation to create a Christmas Tree ontop of a table or another type of surface.
The size of the Christmas Tree depends on the group, and how large the groups are.
Make enough stacks for multiple groups and/or participants to go at once.
Divide the participants into groups of 3-5 each.
Have a line about a metre from the Christmas Tree's where the participants have to stand behind.
Step by Step:
1. Have each group standing behind the line and give them 3 tennis balls.
2. Instruct the first participant in each group, to throw the tennis balls, trying to knock over each part (can) of the Christmas Tree.
3. The participant to knock over the most cans, wins that round.
4. If there is a tie, then they both win.
5. Wait until everyone has thrown their balls, then go and restack the cans, collect the balls
6. The next participants in each group will then throw the balls at the Christmas Tree.
7. Or, each participant in each group gets to throw one tennis ball, and the group that knocks over the most cans would win that round.
8. Continue this until each participant has had at least once opportunity to try to knock down the entire Christmas Tree.
Variations:
Paint the cans green with the participants before and glue on paper ornaments, to add an arts and crafts element to this activity.
Have more than one Christmas Tree pyramid for each group to knock down.
Have them look at the Christmas Tree pyramid, and then close their eyes to throw the ball.
Have participants standing closer or further away from the Christmas Tree to make it easier or harder.

Adaptations (Blindness/Visual Impairment):
Have a caller stand near the "Christmas trees" to help orient participants who are blind or visually impaired.

Sources: Not listed