LEARNING OUTCOME

Introduces making and holding shapes in groups, which is needed for many balancing activities

TEACHING CUES

• Make sure players are performing their balance on their mat or soft grass.
• Do not allow players to use their head as a balance option.
• Ensure players securely ‘brace’ one another with appropriate hand grips (e.g. the monkey grip or Roman grip). These must be firm and strong.

ACTIVITY SET-UP AND PROCEDURE

EQUIPMENT:

1 scatter mat per pair or a soft grassed area

SET-UP:

• Match participants appropriately.
• Make sure players are controlling their exits from the balance.

ACTIVITY PROCEDURES:

• On ‘GO!’, pairs move freely
  around the room holding hands until they hear your signal.
• Call out combinations including any of the following: feet, bottom, shoulders, knees, hands, backs, elbows.
• Players find a mat and assume the position called (e.g. if you call out ‘THREE HANDS, TWO FEET!’, pairs form a balance with only these number of body parts touching the ground).
• Players hold their position for a set time (e.g. 10 seconds).
• Players must always be in contact with one another to maintain balance.

Variations:

• Balance with a partner who is of a different size.
• Introduce equipment (such as hoops, balls, and bean bags) that must also be used in the balance.

COOL DOWN/ CLOSURE

Review Skill/Activity, stretching, and questions.