Movement skills/concepts

Underhand strike (serve), two-handed forearm pass (bump), judging speed and direction, and moving into position to play the ball.

Set-up

• Lightweight balls that will bounce.
• Hardcourt area marked out in squares (2 meters wide approximately): some sets of four squares and some sets of two squares.
• Groups of either two or four, each group with a ball: a player stands in each square.

Activity

Children play Four Square or Two Square.

One player starts the game by serving the ball underhand after one bounce and, for Four Square, hitting it to any player in the other three squares or, for Two Square, hitting it to the other player. The player receiving the ball must keep it in play by striking the ball with an underhand strike (bump) to any square on the full.

Play continues until a mistake is made, such as where a player is not able to return the ball, hits the ball by sidearm or overarm, or catches the ball and steps into a square occupied by another player.

After each rally, rotate positions and change the server.

Play the game:

• cooperatively, by counting the number of volleys made by your group before a mistake
• competitively, by hitting the ball to others in your group (Four Square) so that it makes it hard for them to return the ball

Variations

Develop game: Children modify the game to include scoring and rules.