Target Cleanup: Toss the Equipment Back into Its Box

Cleaning up after a precision session becomes one last calm, cooperative challenge. Soft equipment goes back into its box by being tossed in, the rest is carried at a walk, and the group's energy comes down.

How to play

1. Sort: set out the boxes, each labeled for one type of equipment, with a tape line 3 m in front of each (1 min).
2. Walk and collect: everyone picks up the soft equipment they find (bean bags, tennis balls) and walks rigid equipment (sticks, bows, bottles) back to its spot (2 min).
3. Cleanup tosses: from the line, each student tosses what they're holding into the right box; if it misses, someone else picks it up and tosses from where they are. The group counts total misses (2 min).
4. Wrap-up: compare the miss count with the group record and check nothing is missing (1 min).

Rules

• Only soft equipment is tossed; rigid items are carried.
• Underhand and unhurried: there's no time limit.
• Nobody crouches by a box while others are tossing at it.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the student stands by a box as a catcher or tosses from closer.
• Visual impairment: a classmate taps the box before each toss.
• Arm injury: the student walks the rigid equipment back and checks the final count.

Learning goals

• Bring energy down at the end of class with a calm task.
• Cooperate to leave the equipment organized.
• Keep throwing control with no time pressure.

Equipment for a class of 25

• cardboard boxes: 4
• buckets: 2
• masking tape: 1

Teacher tip

It works because nobody dodges cleanup: everyone wants to toss. Put the boxes right where the equipment is stored so it ends up already put away. If someone throws hard, remind them this is a cool-down: underhand only.

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