Sound Compass: Turn and Block Toward the Noise

A goalball warm-up: blindfolded, each player locates a sound and turns into a blocking position toward it. It preps shoulders, hips and reaction time for adapted sports.

How to play

1. Joint mobility standing and kneeling: shoulders, hips and neck (2 min).
2. Teach the goalball ready position: kneeling, low trunk, arms ready to drop onto your side (2 min).
3. In pairs: one student blindfolded in the middle; the other shakes the bottle somewhere and the listener points toward the noise (2 min).
4. Same, but the listener turns and drops into a block toward the sound; then switch to a bell ball rolled slowly (3 min).
5. Quick role swap and review of the three blocking positions (1 min).

Rules

• Make the sound 2–3 m away, never right next to someone's ear.
• The rest of the class stays silent during the task.
• The ball always rolls along the floor, slowly.
• Block by dropping onto your side, never diving head first.

Variations

Adaptations

• Deaf or hard-of-hearing students: get a light tap on the shoulder on the side of the cue, or act as the sound maker.
• Knee injury: works seated on the floor or a bench and just points.
• Students uneasy with blindfolds: start with eyes closed and open them whenever they want.

Learning goals

• Locate the direction of a sound quickly.
• Rehearse the goalball ready position and block.
• Warm up shoulders and hips specifically.

Equipment for a class of 25

• blindfolds: 15
• bell balls: 8
• rice-filled bottles: 8

Teacher tip

A ball inside a bag with jingle bells, or a bottle with rice, can stand in for an official goalball. Insist on full silence or the task doesn't work.

More activities like this

More warm-ups for Middle School