Hit the Target

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Age
3-5 years
Child Development
Vocabulary ( number or letter recognition); counting and addition; measurement; drawing and writing
Equipment
Throwing objects (paper or sponge balls for indoors)
Targets
Book link: One Bright Monday Morning by Arline and Joseph Baum
Physical Activity

Developing movement skills (throwing, eye-hand coordination)

How to Play

1. Create and set up a variety of targets (e.g. empty milk cartons to knock down, paper targets on the wall). Throw underarm or overarm to hit the targets.

2. Take turns calling out for each other which target to aim for, and whether to throw underarm or overarm (e.g. "overarm at the pink heart"; "underarm to the juice bottle").

3. Read the poem "Throw the Ball" together.

4. Take turns putting a child in charge of setting the distance to the targets.  Invite he/she to measure and mark the distance by measuring with footsteps; help her/him count and record the number.

 

Change it up / Alternatives / Additional Options

1. Change target size, colour, shape, height from ground; and have children aim from largest ot smallest, from closest to furthest, from lowest to highest etc.

2. Put numbers 1 through 5 on targets and:

  • Take turns hitting each one in sequence
  • Hit number 1 once; number 2 twice; number 3 three times, etc. Then read One Bright Monday Morning to discover another number    pattern.
  • Have three throws and help the children total the number of points scored (1+4+2 =7).