Every Beanbag Flies Home to Its Color

Four colored fabric pieces lie on the floor and children toss each beanbag onto the fabric of the same color: red to red, blue to blue. It works on aiming and color recognition.

How to play

1. Lay out the four fabric pieces and name the colors together (2 min).
2. Each child takes a beanbag from the basket and walks it to its color (2 min).
3. Now toss it from a nearby chalk line onto the matching fabric (3 min).
4. Step back one step and toss again; if it lands outside, pick it up and try again (3 min).
5. Toss with the other hand and underhand, like watering plants (2 min).
6. Collect the beanbags from each fabric, counting how many of each color (2 min).

Rules

• I toss when no one is picking up in front of me.
• My beanbag goes to its own color.
• If I miss, I pick it up and try again.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: move the fabric close to the wheelchair and toss from sitting.
• Visual impairment: use high-contrast colors and have a classmate clap over the target.
• Color blindness: each fabric also has a picture (sun, cloud, tree, flower) that matches one on the beanbag.

Learning goals

• Toss accurately to a marked spot.
• Recognize and match colors.
• Wait for their turn to toss.

Equipment for a class of 25

• beanbags: 25
• colored fabric pieces: 4
• basket: 1

Teacher tip

The beanbags need to be the same four colors as the fabric; if not, tie a matching ribbon on them. Mark the tossing line clearly and leave a lane for collecting, since that's where bumps happen.

More main activities for Elementary