The Pizzeria: Toss the Dough!

Children work in a pizzeria: they stretch the dough, toss it in the air and catch it (scarves), then top the pizzas (hoops) by tossing ingredients from a distance. It builds hand-eye coordination for throwing and catching.

How to play

1. The teacher opens the pizzeria and shows how to make dough by hand: knead, squash and stretch the arms (1 min).
2. Toss the dough: each child tosses their scarf up and catches it with both hands before it lands (3 min).
3. Pizza chef tricks: catch it with one hand, the other hand, on your head or clap once first (3 min).
4. Toppings: each hoop is a pizza; from a line, toss beanbags (mushrooms) and balls (tomatoes) to land inside (3 min).
5. Into the oven: with the pizzas loaded, everyone blows to heat the oven and counts to ten (1 min).
6. Clean up: return the toppings to the box and each chef says what pizza they made (2 min).

Rules

• I toss my scarf up, not at anyone’s face.
• I stay behind the line to toss toppings.
• I pick up what falls and go back to my spot.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: from the wheelchair, with pizzas nearby at a comfortable height.
• Less control: big chiffon scarves that float slowly and large hoops on the floor.
• Visual impairment: put a bell in the hoop or the teacher claps from inside it to guide the throw.

Learning goals

• Toss and catch light objects.
• Adjust force when throwing at a target.
• Coordinate eyes and hands.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Scarves: 25
• Hoops: 8
• Beanbags: 25
• Foam balls: 25

Teacher tip

Chiffon scarves fall slowly and give little ones lots of success. Set out several hoops so kids don’t crowd one pizza.

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