Racket Balloon Basket Shoot
In teams, students travel toward hoops held up high by teammates, tapping a balloon up with a racket without letting it drop, then try to send it through the hoop. They work on stroke control, upward accuracy, and teamwork with the hoop holder.
How to play
- Make 5 teams of 5. Each team has a cone start line and, about 25 ft away, a teammate standing and holding a hoop at head height (2 min).
- One at a time, each player sets off with a balloon and taps it upward with the racket, no hands, to a cone placed about 6 ft from the hoop (3 min of practice).
- From that cone they try to send the balloon through the hoop with one hit; the hoop holder may shift the hoop a little to help, but cannot take steps.
- Each balloon through the hoop scores 2 points, and a miss that kept the balloon up the whole way scores 1; the player then grabs the balloon and goes to the back of the line (8 min).
- Every 2 minutes a new player holds the hoop, so everyone takes that role.
- Final 3-minute round: teams move the shooting cone back to 10 ft and compare their score with the first round.
Rules
- The balloon is touched only with the racket on the way; if it drops, continue from where it fell.
- The hoop holder cannot catch or push the balloon.
- Safety: the holder keeps the hoop to the side of the face, never in front, and players tap the balloon gently.
- The next player starts once the teammate has taken the shot.
Variations
Easier
Allow shooting from about 3 ft away and with two hits.
Standard
A 25-foot course with continuous taps and a shot from 6 ft.
Harder
Add a cone slalom to the course and take the shot backhand.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student holds the hoop seated and, when shooting, the course is shortened to 10 ft.
- Visual impairment: use a bright-colored balloon and have the holder clap to guide the shot.
- Advanced level: alternate forehand and backhand taps on the way.
Learning goals
- Control striking force to keep the balloon close.
- Aim the balloon accurately at a raised target.
- Support teammates from a helping role.
Equipment for a class of 25
- balloons: 10
- mini rackets: 10
- hoops: 5
- cones: 10
Teacher tip
Remind hoop holders to move the hoop away from their face before each shot. If lines move slowly, set up two hoops per team.
PatioLab has "Racket Balloon Basket Shoot" and 3999 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
More activities like this
More main activities for Elementary
1-on-1 Mini Volleyball Up and Down the River
One-on-one mini volleyball duels on 3 x 3 m courts under a rope 2 m high, using a receive, self-set and send rule.
1-on-1 Side-Step Square Duels
In pairs, inside 5 x 5 m squares, an attacker holding a football tries to get from the starting side to the far side without the defender pulling a flag.
1v1 Four-Gate Soccer Duels
In a square with a gate on each side, two players go head to head and score by dribbling through any of the four gates.
2-on-2 Mini Volleyball with a Neutral Setter
Two-on-two mini volleyball with a neutral setter under the rope who always plays for the team with the ball.
2v1 Attack Waves to Mini Goals
Two attackers take on one defender and try to score on a small goal in under 10 seconds.
2v2 Alley Mini-Volleyball
A 2v2 mini-volleyball game on a very long, narrow court, about 33×10 feet, where the only way to win a point is by playing for depth: short near the net or deep to the…