Bench Dodgeball: Active, Engaging and Fun!

Bench Dodgeball is the new, trendy and engaging form of Dodgeball. In an age where children are inactive, disengaged and bored, Bench Dodgeball could be the solution.

To all of the 'Human Target' haters, we hear you, but give us this opportunity to convince you. The original form of dodgeball has its flaws: Hard balls WILL hurt, children sat out WILL get disengaged and the combination WILL lead to some unhappy students. We cannot endorse or encourage you as a teacher to teach the original form. We have all hopefully learned our lessons from the original form of Dodgeball and started to explore variations which are safe, active, engaging and fun. Our favourite variation is Bench Dodgeball.

Bench dodgeball is a variation of the game which will have your students jumping up and down about, talking about in the corridors and burning off high levels of energy. Let's face it, moving targets are more challenging to hit than static targets.

If you follow the set up rules correctly, teach the fundamentals of throwing (and safe throwing) correctly prior to the game and set clear boundaries and rules, then your students are in for a (safe) treat. Download the game at www.thepeshed.com/dodgeball-games

Equipment: Benches, Soft Dodgeballs, Bibs (2 colours) and Spots/Cones.

Setting up:

Place a middle line of cones or spots through the playing area.

Set up two benches (one at the end of each team zone).

Place soft dodgeballs down the middle line (suggested 2-5 balls).

Divide the students into 2 equal teams.

All players must start touching the end blue line or wall.

How to play:

Each team is aiming to catch all of the opposing team by throwing soft dodgeballs at them below the shoulders (not head throws).

Students must not cross the middle line (unless they have been caught).

Caught players must cross the middle line and stand on the bench (in the other teams zone).

To get freed from a bench, a teammate must throw a ball to them (without bouncing) and they must catch it.