Beanbag Tic-Tac-Toe Toss
Two teams of three toss beanbags onto a grid of nine hoops to get three in a row. It combines underhand throwing accuracy with the strategy of choosing which hoop to take or block from the other team.
How to play
- Lay out 4 grids of 3 x 3 hoops and mark a throwing line 10 ft from each grid (2 min).
- At each grid two trios face off, each with 5 beanbags of its color; if numbers are uneven, one team has 4.
- Trios alternate underhand tosses, one player at a time; a beanbag that stays inside an empty hoop claims it.
- A beanbag outside or in a taken hoop does not count. The first trio to get three in a row wins; if beanbags run out, the team with more hoops wins.
- Each game takes about 2 min; after two games, trios rotate to a new opponent on the whistle (10 min total).
- Cooperative final round (3 min): both trios try to fill all 9 hoops together using 12 tosses.
Rules
- Always toss underhand from behind the line.
- The trio agrees on a target hoop before every toss.
- Safety: never step on the hoops because they slide; collect beanbags from outside the grid when the game ends.
Variations
Easier
Line at 6 ft, and a beanbag touching the hoop edge counts.
Standard
Line at 10 ft, and only beanbags fully inside count.
Harder
Line at 13 ft with non-dominant hand tosses.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student tosses seated and a teammate hands over the beanbags.
- Shy students or students with autism: the trio sets a visible order and picks hoops by pointing, no talking needed.
- Skill level: each player chooses a 6-ft or 10-ft line.
Learning goals
- Toss underhand with the right force to hit the chosen hoop.
- Decide when to attack and when to block based on the other team's moves.
- Agree on a plan as a group and accept the result.
Equipment for a class of 25
- hoops: 36
- beanbags: 40
Teacher tip
If you lack two beanbag colors, put one trio in pinnies and have players remember their tosses. Ask trios to whisper their plan before tossing so strategy shows up naturally.
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