Lead Up Games
What is a Lead-Up Game?
Many students enjoy the game aspect of sports, but don’t enjoy practicing isolated skills.
Typically, students become more interested in learning if they play in game-like scenarios.
Therefore, lead-up games provide an opportunity for students to practice skills in a
simulated game situation. The combination of games and drills provides optimal learning
experiences for the students.
Safety is the Key
It must be recognized that all physical activity involves an element of risk. There is an
obligation on the part of all participants to minimize that risk. While most of these activities
are designed to be used in limited spaces such as the classroom, teachers must use
professional judgment and discretion when selecting activities. Safety awareness based on
up-to-date information, common sense observation, action and foresight is the key to safe
programming.
Activities should provide opportunities that enhance self-confidence and provide a safe
environment in which children are physically active participants. Safety is a shared
responsibility and students of all ages need to take responsibility for their own safety.
(OPHEA Curriculum Binders, p. 16)
For comprehensive safety guidelines refer to: www.tcdsb.org\physicaleducation , or, see
copies of the Ontario Safety Guidelines and Physical Education Elementary Curricular and
Intramural Guidelines located in all schools.
Catch and Score
Equipment Needed: 5 elephant skin balls or 5 volleyballs or 5 beach balls…
1 volleyball net and standards
Description of activity:
 Class is divided into teams of 4-6
 Two teams contest a mini game first
 Other teams wait their turn and stand behind the end line on the side they are on
 When teams are ready, teacher rolls in 5 balls which team members pick up
 Object for tossing team is to toss ball over net in scoring area however, they are to
try not to let opposing team members catch the tossed ball(s)
 If a ball is caught without a bounce, the person catching the ball is to bring it to the
designated sideline area
 First team to catch and place three balls wins and remains on the court
 The team that does not win goes to the end line and the next team waiting comes on
the floor
Variations:
 Have all teams enter from one end line
 Winning team remains on queens/kings court losing team joins the end of the
waiting line
Or: if using two waiting lines, to make sure one team does not remain on all the
time, have a limit of three consecutive wins and then that team must go off the court
as well.
Catch, Toss, Set and Over
Equipment: two volleyballs (or substitute type balls)
 Net in play
Description of activity: divide class into groups of 4-6 students each
 teacher tosses a ball to one team
 the first contact must be a catch
 the person who catches the ball tosses towards a player at the net (preferably in
the middle)
 that person volleys (or bumps) a ball along the net to another player who then
plays the ball over towards the other team and within the scoring area
 the process then repeats where the first contact is a catch
 if the ball falls or if the second contact is caught, that team must leave the floor
and the next team enters the court
Beach Ball Volleyball
Equipment needed: 3 beach balls
3 trainer (floater, large sized) volleyballs
1 official sized volleyball
1 volleyball net
Description of Activity:
 divide class into 2 groups
 9 players on each side of the net will be on the floor at one time (3 rows with 3 in
each row)
 begin by using a beach ball as the volleyball
 this allows for greater reaction time
 (ref) teacher throws the ball into play from the sidelines
 the object of the game is to get the ball over the net like in regular volleyball
 the official rules of lifting, holding, throwing etc. do not apply
 any part of the body may be used to return the ball (caution with kicking of the
ball)
 when the ball hits the floor, pick it up and throw the ball back into play
 Rotation: When the teacher calls rotate, the last row of 3 players will rotate to the
center row. The center row rotates forward to the front row and the front row rotates
to the back of the court. ( an alternative rotation could be to do so in an S manner,
one place at a time)
 after playing with one beach ball, the ref will throw one more into the playing area
and eventually another so that 2 or 3 balls are in play at the same time
 eventually the beach balls are taken out and replaced with the trainer/floater
volleyballs and eventually the actual official sized volleyball would be introduced a
few classes later
Blind Volleyball
Equipment needed: 3 beach balls
3 trainer (floater, large sized) volleyballs
1 official sized volleyball
1 volleyball net
2 parachutes or large blankets
Description of Activity:
 set up the court the same way as in beach ball volleyball i.e. one net and 9 players
per side
 drape 2 large blankets or parachutes over the net so that both teams will not be able
to see each other
 players will not see the ball coming but only hear the play from their side
 the ref puts the ball into play from the sidelines
 follow all the same rules as beach ball volleyball
Four Net Soccer
Equipment required: Pinnies to differentiate the team members (you can do without
pinnies if there are none available);
4 nets or objects that will represent a scoring area;
4-6 elephant skinned soccer balls (for indoor)
4-6 utility balls if outdoors
Description of Activity:
 Divide class into four even teams (based on level of ability);
 Set up four nets (which can be gym mats which are folded to look like nets);
 Provide pinnies of like colour to the various teams;
 Designate a net for each team to defend;
 The object of the game is for all teams to attempt to close down the other three
nets in play;
 This is accomplished by having five goals scored on that net;
 Once five goals are scored on a net, that net is then closed down;
 The team that had been defending that net now tries to assist others in closing the
remaining nets;
 The last net standing/left open is the winner;
***Of note***
There are no goalies…no players are allowed to pick up the ball(s) with their hands as
would be the case if he or she was a goalie.
Sideline Soccer
Equipment needed: pinnies to differentiate between teams
soccer ball
end nets
Description of Activity:
 Divide students into two teams
 Select lines of 4-6 to play on each shift (do this for both teams unless students are
older and can do this on their own)
 Use regular soccer rules while two teams try to score on each other
 Students who are not on the regular court will line each side line(and end line if you
wish)
 If the ball makes its way to a side line player, she/he can pick it up and do throw in
to a team mate
 After a period of time, have next line/shift go onto the court
 First shift students take the place of the players who are now on the court.
Partner Soccer Score:
Equipment needed: one ball between two students
Description of Activity:
 Partners choose their own space and stand 6-8 metres apart
 Partners face each other
 On the go signal, one partner attempts to pass/shoot the ball between their partners
out stretched legs
 Then the partner who is trying to put the ball through the legs of the other person
must chase the ball and dribble it back to the starting point where she/he tries to
score again
 Continue for i.e. 1 minute then switch roles
 Partners count own goals scored winner assigns a task for the non-winner to
perform
Variation: do the above using teams instead of individuals…
Soccer/Cricket Relay
Equipment needed: 1 pylon or plastic bowling pin;
2 pylons to act as a base
1 elephant skin ball (volleyball sized)
Description of Activity:
 Divide class into two teams of equal ability;
 Decide which team is at bat first;
 The team that is at bat must have each player kick and then run once per inning/over;
 The fielding team will use a scatter formation to cover as much of the fielding area as
possible;
 The fielding team is to designate one student to act as the bowler/pitcher;
 That persons role is to roll the ball towards a pylon that is set up in the batting area;
 If he/she is able to knock the pylon/pin over, the batter is out;
 The fielding team will re-set the pylon and then bowl again;
 If the batting team does not have their next batter in position, they risk having another
out posted against them is the bowler is able to knock the home area pylon/pin over;
 Once a batter has successfully kicked the bowled ball towards the opponents, he/she is
to run back and forth to and from the designated area as many times as possible;
 This is being done while the fielding team is getting the kicked ball and is passing it
over and under to all students on their team who have since lined up in a row;
 Once the fielding team has done the complete over under relay, the process repeats;
Variations: Have a student act as a catcher and the ball must be delivered to that person
before the process can begin again…remember; all players are to have a turn before the
roles are switched. This activity is a variation of the game known as Alaskan Baseball.
End Ball
Players: 8-10 on a team (teams unlimited)
Equipment: Pinnies, basketballs
Area: Playground/ Gymnasium
Skills: Passing and Catching
Description of Activity
 Two- Three players from each team are selected as end-zone players.
 The object is for each team to throw the ball to a team mate in the end zone for a
score.
 The game starts with one end zone team player in possession of a basketball. This
player tries to throw the ball to one of his/her fielders, and then the game begins.
 There is no dribbling in this game, encouraging players to move without the ball.
 Teams get a point for catching in the end zone and then a point for making the
basket after a designated amount of points; you may switch the end zone players.
Variation: Have more then one basketball going at one time, encouraging students to keep
their head up at all times and communicate where the pass is going to go.
(Adapted from “Lead-Up Games to Team Sports”- O. William Blake/ Anne M. Volp)
Keep Away
Players: Individual or team
Equipment: Basketballs
Area: Playground/ Gymnasium
Skills: Dribbling, guarding
Description of Activity
 The object of the game is to knock away a player’s ball from the playing area while
continuing to maintain your own dribble.
 The same guarding principles in basketball apply, where the player can not make
physical contact with another player.
 The ball has to be knocked out of the playing area in order for elimination to occur.
Variations/ Recommendations- Start with a large playing area, so that most people will
have success; decrease area as more and more people get eliminated. When students
start becoming eliminated, have students do around the world ball handling to work on
skills and keep active.
Around The World
Players: 6-8 on a team (teams unlimited)
Equipment: Basketballs and Goals
Area: Playground/ Gymnasium
Skills: Shooting
Description of Activity:
 The object of the game is to see which team can have the most members make
baskets from the designated spots.
 Each team member begins at the first spot and continues as long as he/she makes
the shot.
 When he/she misses, he/she has two options.
 The first is to stay at his/her current spot and wait for next turn. The second option
is to “risk it” which means he/she gets another chance to make the shot where
he/she missed.
 If he/she misses the “risk it” shot, he/she starts over at the beginning on his/her next
turn.
 The team completing the most circuits is the winner.
(Adapted from “Lead-Up Games to Team Sports”- O. William Blake/ Anne M. Volp)
Bump
Equipment needed: two basketballs and some basketball hoops
Description of activity:
 Students line up in one behind the other at the foul line
 The first two students have a basketball
 The object is to bump out other players and be the last one standing
 The first player shoots a foul shot and player two does the same right after
 If player one scores before player two she/he retrieves their ball and passes back
to the next player in line who then shoots
 Now player three is trying to bump player two
 If players miss their foul or free shot, they must try to score before the player
after them scores.
 If the player following scores, the player in front is eliminated or bumped
Sideline Basketball
Players: Any number (No more than 10 on the court at one time)
Equipment: Pinnies, hoops and basketballs
Area: Playground/ Gymnasium
Skills: All the skills in basketball, except dribbling
Description of Activity
 The object of the game is to score as in basketball.
 Each team is lined up and numbered off along the outside sidelines of the basketball
court.
 The game is played like a regulation basketball game, with the exception that no
player within the court can pass directly to another court player.
 The court players must pass it to a sideline player in order to advance the ball.
 The ball may not be dribbled in the court.
 Sideline players must stay off the court.
 Numbers are called to determine the court players each time.
 Once the ball has been scored, the court players return to the sideline, waiting to
hear the numbers of the next court players.
Scoring: Two points are given to the team who scored the basket.
(Adapted from “Lead-Up Games to Team Sports”- O. William Blake/ Anne M. Volp)
Basketball Golf
Equipment: one basketball per foursome (group)
Description of Activity:
 Students work in groups of 4 each with their own ball
 While students are forming groups, place ”hole” numbers on the floor at each
basket so that there are 9 holes in all (using all baskets)
 Each basket will have a few different holes with each hole marker indicating a
different place for taking the shot
 Each foursome starts at a different basket and/or a different spot at the basket
(each basket will have 2-3 starting points depending on the number of baskets
your gymnasium contains)


Students move form hole to hole recording their accumulated score as they
go…this is done on the golf score card
Par is determined by the distance and the angle for each hole (starting point)
Basketball Golf Tee Card
Name:______________________________________
Hole
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Total
Par (Goal)
Combined
Score)