The aim of this game is to knock down plastic bottles with a ball. You can add an element of competition by encouraging those who are capable of knocking down as many as possible with as few throws of the ball as possible.
Learning intentions
The benefits of the game are practising and refining hand/eye co-ordination; coming to understand addition and subtraction; using and applying counting, reading and writing to everyday activities.
Planning
Don't have a horde of children waiting to have a go - this would simply be a waste of their precious time.
Resources
Lemonade or similar bottles, half-filled with water with lids secure; a medium-sized ball that isn't too light or too heavy.
Step by Step
1. Arrange 6-8 bottles on a table or on the ground, in any shape, but the standard arrangement is some sort of triangle. The ground has to be level or bottles will constantly fall over. Don't choose a very windy day to play!
2. Draw three columns on an easel so the children can write their name, how many bottles they hope to knock down and how many they actually knocked down (as below).
4. The child throws the ball, preferably underarm, and attempts to knock down the bottles. They or you write how many bottles they knocked down, then count how many are left. The child takes another go to see how many more they can knock down. The child can throw as many as they want, or you limit it to a set number.
Adult Role
- This could be introduced as a focus activity, initially adult-directed so the adult can explain how the game works, support children with throwing, writing, counting, so their skills and understanding improve.
- The adult can role-model and actually take part - children love to see us playing their games. This gives the game credibility.
- Children who get used to the game are likely to set it up for themselves as long as the resources are made available to them.
Helen Bilton is the author of several books on outdoor play for the early years and PGCE programme director at the University of Reading
Name Number of bottles I Number of bottles I have
want to know down at once knocked down on each go
(maximum 8)
Helen 8 5, 2, 1
Rachel 8 2, 6
Joshua 8 8
