Pinwheel
Activity Overview
Participants learn about and practise sending an object toward a target surrounded by bowling pins while standing at different distances.
- Junior (Ages 10-12)
Facility
- Gymnasium
- Multipurpose room
- Outdoors
Materials and Equipment
- 6 bowling pins or empty plastic water bottles per group
- 3 pylons per group
- 1 beanbag per participant
Safety
Inspect the area and eliminate potential hazards. Check that the surface provides safe traction. Boundaries must be set a safe distance from walls and obstacles, with room to avoid interfering with other activities in the area.
Activity Information
Activity Set-up
- Divide participants into small groups (e.g., three to four).
- Participants set up their area using bowling pins to create a circle approximately one metre in diameter.
- Participants place three pylons at various distances from the target to identify three lines that the participants will throw from.
Activity Instructions
- Participants take turns using an underhand throw to send a beanbag into the circle without knocking down any of the bowling pins.
- Participants start at the closest distance and move farther away with each successful throw.
- Participants keep track of how many attempts it takes them to get the bean bag into the target from each distance.
- Once a participant has been successful at each line, the participant starts at the beginning again and attempts to complete the game with fewer throws.
- The leader asks open-ended questions to help participants refine their movement strategies and tactical solutions during the activity. Examples: Describe which body parts move and in what way when you send a bean bag to the target. What can you do to avoid knocking down the pins?
Adaptations
To maximize the challenge and the fun, participants could identify their own ways to increase or decrease the challenge.
To decrease the challenge, participants could:
- Decrease the distance between the throwing lines and the target.
- Make the circle of bowling pins larger.
- Choose their throwing implement (e.g., rubber chicken, sponge).
- Work together with a partner to attempt to toss the beanbag into the circle. If one of the partner is successful, then both partners move to the farther line.
To increase the challenge, participants could:
- Increase the distance between the throwing line and the target.
- Make the circle of bowling pins smaller.
- Use their non-dominant hand to perform an underhand throw.
- Attempt to send the object in different ways (e.g., standing on one foot, one eye closed).
Pause for Learning
Throughout the activity, consider highlighting the following skills, concepts, and strategies to help participants send an object toward a target. Note that this list is not exhaustive, and further learning opportunities may arise during the task.
Movement Skills and Concepts
- Manipulation skills and effort awareness: Applying a controlled force to send an object toward the target (e.g., swinging the throwing arm back while stepping forward with the opposite foot to the throwing arm and leaning slightly over the extended front foot)
Movement Strategies
- Applying appropriate skills to be proficient at hitting the designated target (e.g., using different amounts of force depending on the distance from the target)
- Developing an understanding of what skills are needed to improve proficiency as the distance increases away from the target (e.g., gaining an awareness of body positioning and how the movement of different body parts affects the underhand throw)
Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines
For health benefits, children aged 5-11 and youth aged 12-17 years should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.
Vigorous-intensity activities at least 3 days per week. This activity does not qualify as vigorous intensity.
Activities that strengthen muscle and bone at least 3 days per week. This activity does not strengthen muscles and/or bones.
More daily physical activity provides greater health benefits.
