Diu Shabao: Chinese Beanbag Dodge

A Chinese playground game in which two throwers, one at each end of a lane, toss sandbags at the players in the middle; anyone who catches one earns an extra life. It builds dodging, catching and reading flight paths.

How to play

1. Share the origin: diu shabao (throwing sandbags) is a classic in Chinese schools, where kids used homemade cloth bags. Mark 4 lanes of 40 x 20 feet with cones.
2. Make groups of 6: two throwers stand behind the end lines and four players stand inside the lane. Each lane has 3 beanbags.
3. Throwers toss underhand at the legs or trunk of the players inside, passing back any beanbags that reach their end. Players inside run and dodge without leaving the lane.
4. A player who catches a beanbag in the air earns a life and returns it to a thrower. A player hit without catching loses a life; when all lives are gone, they swap places with the thrower who hit them.
5. Each player starts with 2 lives and counts them out loud. Swaps happen right away, so nobody sits out.
6. Play 3 rounds of 4 minutes. Rotate groups between rounds so everyone throws at least once.

Rules

• Safety: beanbags must be soft and thrown underhand.
• Stepping out of the lane to dodge costs a life.
• Throwers may not step into the lane.

Variations

Adaptations

• Students with limited mobility: play inside a hoop and can only be hit from the knees down; catches count double.
• Visual impairment: throwers call 'Coming!' and roll beanbags with bells along the floor.
• Skill level: the strongest throwers use their non-dominant hand to balance the game.

Learning goals

• Dodge moving objects with footwork and changes of direction.
• Catch beanbags in the air to gain an advantage.
• Follow the rules of a traditional Chinese game.

Equipment for a class of 25

• beanbags: 12
• cones: 16

Teacher tip

Check the beanbags before play and replace any that are hard or torn.

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