Movement skills/concepts

Exploring kicking, space, and body awareness.

Set-up

• Large round balls, markers, or cones.
• Children, each with a ball, are spread out in a defined grass or hard area.

Activity: Can you kick a ball …?

• forwards/backwards/sideways/diagonally
• as hard/softly as you can
• with a big leg swing/with no leg swing
• so that it goes very quickly/slowly
• without using your arms or while swinging arms backward/forward
• as far/near as you can
• as high as you can/so it stays on the ground
• with a forceful leg swing but a light hit
• with a lazy leg swing for a forceful hit
• to hit a target, (e.g. wall, large target, small target)
• over/under the goal
• with your feet wide apart/with your other foot

Can you see …?

• everyone participating
• fun and enjoyment
• awareness of others when having a go

You could ask …

Which ways of kicking did you enjoy the most? Why was this?

Which were funny ways of kicking? What made that kick funny or difficult to do? Which ways felt right? What was it about this way of kicking that felt right?

Variations

Work in pairs: Kick to a partner while walking (passing), at different levels/speeds and different degrees of force.