Bounce Pass Lanes

In pairs, students travel down cone lanes passing the ball with bounce passes and chest passes while moving sideways or forward. The activity builds passing and catching on the move, adjusting distance, and working with a partner.

How to play

1. Mark six lanes, each 12 feet wide and 65 feet long, with cones; each pair starts at one end of a lane, one partner on each side (2 min).
2. Teach the bounce pass: ball at the chest, step toward your partner, and bounce the ball two-thirds of the way so it comes up to the receiver's waist (2 min).
3. First trip: bounce passes while walking forward to the end of the lane, then chest passes on the way back (4 min).
4. Second trip: slide sideways with shuffle steps, passing the ball without stopping (4 min).
5. Lane challenge: each pair counts its passes on one trip, then tries to reach the end with fewer passes or without dropping the ball (4 min).
6. Switch partners for one last round trip mixing both passes (2 min).

Rules

• The ball may bounce only once per pass.
• The receiver shows hands as a target before the pass.
• Each pair stays in its lane to avoid crossing others.
• Start when the pair in front has reached the halfway point.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the student stays seated on one side of the lane and the partner moves around them.
• Visual impairment: use a ball with bells, and the partner calls the student's name before passing.
• Lower skill level: use a larger foam ball and narrow the lane to 9 feet.

Learning goals

• Bounce pass and chest pass to a moving partner.
• Catch the ball with hands ready without stopping.
• Coordinate with a partner to move down the lane together.

Equipment for a class of 25

• basketballs (junior size): 13
• cones: 24

Teacher tip

The usual mistake is bouncing the ball too close to the passer; mark the ideal bounce spot with chalk in a few lanes. Put the most confident pairs in the middle lanes.

More main activities for Elementary