Dribbling & Ball Control
A series of dribbling tasks where each student uses a basketball to practice bouncing with both hands, changing speed and direction, and keeping their head up. Students build ball control and confidence before moving on to games.
How to play
- Give each student a basketball (or one per pair) and spread the class around the court or blacktop.
- Stationary dribbling: bounce with fingertips at waist height, 30 seconds with the right hand, 30 seconds with the left (2 minutes).
- Moving dribble: walk, then jog around the space, switching hands on the whistle and avoiding classmates (3 minutes).
- Heads-up challenge: hold up a number of fingers and students call it out while dribbling, so they keep their eyes off the ball (2 minutes).
- Cone course: in groups of 5, dribble through a line of 5 cones and back, switching hands at each cone (5 minutes).
- Finish with 'Dribble Tag' (3 minutes): taggers try to tag other dribblers while everyone keeps dribbling.
Rules
- Hold the ball still when the teacher talks.
- Keep your ball in your space; if it gets away, walk to get it without crossing through other groups.
- Dribble with fingertips, not slaps with your palm.
- In Dribble Tag, tag with a light touch only.
Variations
Easier
Use bigger or softer balls and allow two-hand dribbling and catching between bounces.
Standard
Do all the tasks with one-hand dribbling, switching hands.
Harder
Add crossovers, behind-the-back dribbles, or dribbling two balls at once.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student dribbles from a wheelchair beside the chair or dribbles a larger ball, with a smaller course.
- Visual impairment: use a ball with a bell or bright color and a partner who gives voice cues.
- Lower skill: allow catching the ball after every bounce and gradually reduce stops.
Learning goals
- Dribble a ball with both the dominant and non-dominant hand.
- Keep the head up while dribbling to see space and classmates.
- Control the ball while changing speed and direction.
Equipment for a class of 25
- basketballs: 25
- cones: 25
Teacher tip
Check that balls are properly inflated before class; flat balls make dribbling frustrating. Young students learn faster with size 5 balls.
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