Throwing Stations for PE: 6 Fun Throwing Games and Activities for Elementary Students
Updated: 5 minutes ago
Hand a group of kids a ball and a target, and watch what happens. Every one of them wants a turn! That's why throwing stations are such a great fit for any physical education program. When they're set up well and run smoothly, throwing stations give students tons of practice in a short amount of time. In this post, I'll share the benefits of throwing stations, how to set them up, and 6 throwing games and activities you can use in your elementary PE classes.
Quick Answer: Throwing stations are small group activities where students rotate through targets to practice the overhand and underhand throw. Six easy ones to set up are Through the Hoop, Hot Spot Shot, Knock It Off, Pin Knock Down, Hoop Roll Target, and Hit the Target with a football, using yarn balls, beanbags, hoops, cones, and pins.
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The Benefits of Throwing Stations in PE Class
The overhand and underhand throw are complex movements that use many muscle groups working together, and young children often haven't fully developed these skills yet. Throwing stations give students the repeated, focused practice they need to improve. Here are some of the biggest benefits:
Practice time: Throwing stations give students lots of chances to practice their overhand and underhand throws. These skills carry over to many sports and physical activities throughout life, and stations give students extra catching practice, too.
Proper technique: When students focus on their form and alignment, you can help them learn to throw correctly. Good technique helps prevent injuries and makes every throw more efficient. My Overhand Throw Cues poster is a great visual reminder.
Hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness: Aiming at targets over and over helps students sharpen their accuracy, visual tracking, and spatial awareness. These skills carry over to other sports and activities.
Social skills: When students work in groups, they have to communicate and cooperate to complete the task. That supports SHAPE America's Standard 3: Develops social skills through movement.*
A fun, challenging environment: Different games and activities keep students engaged while they learn new skills. Throwing stations get kids moving, keep them having fun, and prepare them for sports and PE large group games like ultimate or monster ball.
Standards connection: PE throwing stations are a fun and challenging way to meet SHAPE America's Standard 1: Develops a variety of motor skills.*
How Do I Set Up PE Throwing Stations?
Print your signs: Print and laminate any throwing station signs you have found or made yourself.
Spread out your stations: Place the station cards around your learning area with plenty of space between each one. You can reuse them for several class periods.
Overhand Throwing Stations
Number the stations: Give the stations a numerical order and rotate students every 2 to 6 minutes, depending on your time and the number of stations in the lesson.
Have enough equipment: Make sure each station has enough equipment so every student can practice their overhand and underhand throws.
Review the cues: At each station, discuss and demonstrate the throwing cues students will be working on.
Give brief directions: Provide short instructions for each station, and use students to help demonstrate.
Use music: Play music while students work, and pause it for station rotations.
Move and coach: Walk among the students as they throw and give instructional or behavior feedback as needed.
Adapt as needed: Adjust each activity for your students' ability levels, equipment, and space.
Use the walls: Place targets near a wall so missed balls bounce back and don't roll into other stations.
Track accuracy (optional): Give students in grades 2 to 8 a score sheet to keep track of their accuracy.
Check for understanding (optional): Have students fill out an assessment exit slip at the end of the lesson. For more ideas, see my post on assessment in PE.
Six Fun and Engaging Overhand Throwing Stations
Now that we've covered the benefits and setup, here are 6 throwing stations you can plug right into your PE lessons. Each one includes an overview, the equipment you'll need, and step-by-step station instructions.
1. Through the Hoop
Overview
Students take turns throwing overhand through a standing hula hoop from different distances.
Equipment
Enough yarn balls (or gator skin balls) for each small group of 2 to 5 students. Two balls per group works best.
A hula hoop for each small group (stand it up in a hoop holder or have a student hold it)
Several distance lines that students can successfully throw from
Station Instructions
Students work with a partner or small group, taking turns throwing a ball through the hula hoop.
Divide students into two teams to compete against each other.
Wait in line for your turn to throw.
Have one person hold the hoop beside them, or place it in a holder.
Throw the ball at the hula hoop and try to send it through the center.
A group member can retrieve the ball between throws.
Take 2 shots if needed, and try it from different distances.
2. Hot Spot Shot
Overview
Students take turns throwing beanbags into a clothes basket (or another container) sitting on a table. They throw from different spot markers and collect each marker when they make a shot.
Equipment
Enough beanbags for each small group of 2 to 5 students
A clothes basket or open box
Poly spots scattered on the gym floor as markers to throw from
Station Instructions
Students work with a partner or small group, taking turns throwing a beanbag into a clothes basket.
Wait in line for your turn to throw.
When it's your turn, go to any poly spot and throw a beanbag overhand at the basket sitting on a table (or on the floor).
If you make the shot, pick up the poly spot, set it off to the side, and shoot again from another spot.
Each successful throw counts as a point.
Move to another marker and take another shot.
See how many markers you can collect.
When you miss, it's the next person's turn to throw.
3. Knock It Off
Overview
Students take turns throwing smaller balls, like a yarn ball or tennis ball, to knock a larger ball off the top of a cone.
Equipment
A soft ball (like a yarn ball) for each small group of 2 to 5 students. Two balls per group works best.
A large cone for each small group
A large ball (like a beach ball) to sit on top of the cone
Several distance lines (poly spots work great)
Station Instructions
Students work with a partner or small group, taking turns throwing a ball at a larger ball sitting on top of a cone.
Wait in line for your turn to throw.
Throw a small yarn ball or gator skin ball at the large cone and try to knock the big ball off the top.
A group member can retrieve the ball between throws.
Take 2 shots if needed, and try it from different distances.
Trade roles with your partner.
If there are more than 3 in the group, set a throwing order.
4. Pin Knock Down
Overview
Students throw balls at a set of pins, trying to knock down as many as possible in two throws while competing against another team.
Equipment
Enough yarn balls (or gator skin balls) for each small group of 2 to 5 students (two balls per group)
A set of bowling pins (3 to 10 pins) for each small group. Empty 2-liter bottles work as a substitute.
Poly spot markers to set your throwing distances
Station Instructions
Students work with a partner or small group, taking turns throwing a ball at a set of bowling pins.
Wait in line for your turn to throw.
Throw a small yarn ball or gator skin ball at the set of pins.
Try to knock down as many pins as possible with each of your 2 throws. Any pins still standing after the first throw are your target for the second throw.
A group member can reset the pins and retrieve the ball between throws.
Try it from different distances.
Trade roles with your partner.
If there are more than 3 in the group, set a throwing order.
5. Hoop Roll Target
Overview
Students work with a partner or small group and try to throw a ball through a rolling hoop. It's a fun challenge that adds a moving target to throwing practice.
Equipment
Enough yarn balls (or gator skin balls) for each small group of 2 to 5 students
A hula hoop for each small group
Poly spot markers for a rolling start area and a throwing area
Station Instructions
Students work with a partner or small group, taking turns throwing a ball at a hula hoop rolled by a classmate.
Wait in line for your turn to roll or throw.
One student rolls the hoop slowly across the gym.
Another student throws a ball at the hoop as it rolls by.
A group member can retrieve the ball between throws.
Trade roles with your partner.
If there are more than 3 in the group, set a rolling and throwing order.
6. Hit the Target: Football Style
Overview
Students take turns throwing footballs at a target on the wall or a large traffic cone. For more ideas, check out my football games and stations post.
Equipment
Enough footballs for each small group of 2 to 5 students. Two balls per group works best.
A laminated target on the wall or a cone. Place the cone on folded mats or a chair to raise it higher.
Poly spots for distance markers
Station Instructions
Students work with a partner or small group, taking turns throwing a football at a laminated target.
Wait in line for your turn to throw.
Throw a football at the target. Before you start, decide how many points each part of the target is worth.
A group member can retrieve the ball between throws.
Change your throwing distance and the height of the target on the wall or cone.
Trade roles with your partner.
If there are more than 3 in the group, set a throwing order.
Final Thoughts
Throwing stations give your students a lot of benefits. They help kids improve their technique, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and social skills, all while having fun. Stations are easy to adjust for different skill levels and class sizes, and rotating through different activities keeps students engaged while they learn. For more station ideas, check out my posts on 15 PE station ideas, manipulative skill stations, team handball stations, and playground ball games.
Want even more throwing ideas? I have overhand throwing and underhand tossing skill challenge cards on TPT. If you want complete lesson plans, take a look at my Overhand Throwing Unit and Underhand Tossing Unit.
You can also check student progress with my Overhand Throw Assessment Rubrics and post the cues on your Throwing, Tossing, and Catching Word Wall.
*National Physical Education Standards are used under license from SHAPE America. © 2024, SHAPE America, https://www.shapeamerica.org/. All rights reserved.
Need Resources?
Do you need manipulative skill challenges and activities for your PE program with clear instructions and colorful graphics? Here's a free set to help!
Fill in the form below to download 20 FREE PE Manipulative Skill Challenge Cards with detailed cues and student-friendly graphics. They're simple to use and great for teaching PE skills. Just print, laminate, cut them out, and hand them to your students during your lessons. This PDF digital download includes visuals from these manipulative skill sets:
1. Catching, 2. Foot Dribbling, 3. Hand Dribbling, 4. Kicking, 5. Rolling,
6. Striking (short-handled implements), 7. Striking (long-handled implements),
8. Underhand Tossing, 9. Overhand Throwing and 10. Volleying
This freebie set will give your PE curriculum a boost for years to come!
If you want to really spice up your PE program, my PE Skill Stations and Task Cards: 5 Product Mega Bundle is the perfect addition. It includes station signs, task cards, cue cards, and an assessment exit slip. Together, they help your students understand, explain, and apply the basic cues for each skill. The skills they learn at these stations carry over to lead-up games in a variety of sports and other PE activities.
This collection helps you teach 10 different manipulative skills using these 5 sets: 1. throwing and tossing, 2. catching and fielding, 3. striking and volleying, 4. hand dribbling and ball control, and 5. kicking and foot dribbling.
You can find this bundle in my TPT store: PE Skill Station Signs and Task Cards: 5 Resource Visual Mega Bundle for the Gym
About Pete Charrette
Pete Charrette is a National Board Certified physical education teacher and former Georgia PE Teacher of the Year with more than 30 years of experience teaching elementary PE. He is the creator of Cap'n Pete's Power PE and has developed more than 1,000 PE and health resources used by teachers around the world. Pete loves helping PE teachers build programs their students enjoy.
