The Little Donkey Who Throws Backward

Like a little donkey kicking its heels, children stand with their backs to the colored fabric pieces, bend over and toss the beanbag backward between their legs, then turn around to see where it landed. It works throwing without seeing the target, flexibility and spatial orientation.

How to play

1. Be little donkeys: on all fours, give gentle kicks in the air (2 min).
2. Standing, legs apart, pass the beanbag from front to back between your legs and let it drop (2 min).
3. Toss the beanbag backward between your legs, with your back to the fabric (3 min).
4. Turn around, see which color it landed on and say it (2 min).
5. Try tossing it backward over your head with both hands (2 min).
6. The donkeys go to sleep: collect your beanbag and lie face down (1 min).

Rules

• Before I toss, I check nobody is behind me.
• I toss toward the fabric with my back to it.
• I collect when the teacher gives the signal.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: seated, toss backward over the shoulder and a partner says where it landed.
• Less balance: bend over holding a chair with one hand.
• Hearing loss: the signal to collect is the teacher holding up a piece of fabric.

Learning goals

• Throw toward a target they can't see.
• Build flexibility by bending and reaching between the legs.
• Reorient after turning around.

Equipment for a class of 25

• beanbags: 25
• colored fabric pieces: 4

Teacher tip

Put the children in a single, well-spaced line, all with their backs to the fabric. Before each toss ask "Is anyone behind you?" and have them look; that's what prevents bumps.

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