Rolling Under the Bridge

Skill: Balance, Run, Throw
Time Required: 20
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Small 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 activity area.
Remind participants to be aware of their surroundings and to keep their head up.
Equipment: Pylons
Foam Balls (or soccer balls, tennis balls, volleyballs, another ball)
Rope (optional)
Objective:
One participant rolls the ball under the "bridge" (another participant will be and make the bridge by going on their toes and hands), and this process will continue until all participants have been a bridge.
Set up:
Divide participants into groups of 4-5 participants.
Have the same amount of pylons as participants in a group, for each group.
Set up a rope (or use a line in a gym) for the "rolling" line.
Set up the pylons in a straight line, and around 15 feet or so away from each other (and from the rolling line).
Each groups gets one foam ball.
Step by Step:
1. The goal of this activity is for participants to roll their ball under each bridge; which is participants on their toes and hands.
2. One participant from each group will go to the first pylon and become a bridge (go on their toes and hands).
3. The other participants stand in a line behind the rolling line.
4. The first participant in each line will roll the ball and attempt to get it to the go under the bridge.
5. If it does, then the bridge participant will stand up, collect the ball, run back to the rolling line and give the ball to the next participant in line.
6. The participant that just rolled the ball, will run to the second pylon, and create a bridge.
7. The participant that now is at the front of the line will roll the ball attempting to get it to go under the new and further away bridge.
8. If it does not go under the bridge, then the bridge participant will collect the ball and roll/throw it back to the participant, who will try again (could create a rule, that each participant gets 4 attempts to roll it under a bridge, and if they don't get it after 4 tries, they do 5 jumping jacks, and continue as though they got the ball under the bridge).
9. When they get it under the bridge, the bridge collects the ball and runs it to their line, while the roller becomes the new bridge at the third pylon.
10. Continue until all participants have been a bridge, and the ball has rolled under the last bridge.
Variations:
Place the pylons further apart from one another.
Have two participants be bridges, and the ball has to roll under both of them.
Participants use a soccer ball and have to kick the ball instead of rolling (make sure participants who are the bridges pay attention to the ball rolling towards them).
Participants stand with their legs spread out (facing the opposite direction of their group), and the participants try to roll/kick between their feet.
While participants are bridges, they have to lift one of their feet in the air, and balance.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.