There's just something about throwing a ball that makes physical education class more enjoyable - and more effective, too! That's why throwing stations are a great addition to any PE program. Throwing stations can be very beneficial in a physical education class if they are set up correctly and used properly. In this blog post, I'll go through the benefits of throwing stations and how to set them up correctly, as well as give you six solid ideas on how you might use them in your instruction. Let's get started!
The Benefits of Throwing Stations in PE Class
The overhand and underhand throw are complex movements that require the coordination of multiple muscle groups. These skills are often underdeveloped in young children. There are many benefits to incorporating physical education throwing stations into your physical education class.
Overhand Throwing Cues
Throwing stations provide an opportunity for students to practice their overhand and underhand throwing techniques. This is important because these are skills that can be used in a variety of sports and other physical activities throughout their lifetime. Throwing stations not only provide opportunities to practice throwing but also catching skills and catching form.
Throwing stations can be used to teach proper technique. By having students focus on their form and alignment, you can help them learn how to properly execute the movement. This is important because using proper technique will help prevent injuries and increase the efficiency of the movement.
Throwing stations can help students significantly improve their hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness. By repeatedly hitting targets, students can fine-tune their visual processing speed and accuracy. This is a skill that often transfers to other areas of life, such as schoolwork or sports.
Throwing stations provide an opportunity for students to work on their social skills. When working in groups, students must communicate with one another and cooperate to complete the task. This is a valuable skill that can be applied in many different settings, both inside and outside of school.
Finally, throwing stations are a great way to create an enjoyable and challenging environment in your physical education class. By incorporating different games and activities, you can keep students engaged while they are learning new skills. Throwing stations are a great way to promote physical activity and provide an opportunity for students to have fun while they are learning. They also help prepare students for sports and PE large group games such as ultimate or monster ball.
PE throwing stations also work well as a fun and challenging method for meeting SHAPE America's Standard 1 which states: The physically literate individual demonstrates competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns*. Click here to see what SHAPE America's Grade Level Outcomes are for each grade level.
Setting up the PE throwing stations
Print out and laminate any signs with a throwing theme that you have found or made yourself.
Place the station cards around your learning area with plenty of space between each station. You can use them for multiple class periods
Overhand Throwing Stations
Give the stations a numerical order and rotate the students every 2 to 6 minutes (depending on your time and the number of stations you intend to use in each lesson)
Make sure there's enough equipment at each station so that each student has what they require to practice their overhand and underhand throw
At each station, discuss and demonstrate the correct throwing cues that students will be working on
Proved a brief instructional direction for each of the stations (Use students to help demonstrate)
As the kids participate in the activities, play music. During station rotations (transitions), hit pause
As they practice throwing, walk among the students and offer instructional or behavioral modification remarks as needed
Adapt the activity to your student's ability levels, equipment needs, and space limitations.
Have all targets near the wall so that the ball will bounce back if the target is missed and it will not interfere with the other stations
Optional- give students (2nd – 8th grade) a student score sheet to keep up with their accuracy
Optional-Have the students fill out an assessment exit slip at the end of the lesson
Overhand Throwing Stations With Score Sheets
Now that we've discussed the benefits of throwing stations, let's take a look at some ideas for how you can incorporate them into your physical education curriculum.
Six Fun and Engaging Overhand Throwing Stations
1. Through the Hoop
Overview
Students take turns performing overhand throws through a standing hula hoop from varying distances.
Equipment
Enough yarn balls (or gator skin balls) for each small group of 2 to 5 students- Two shots work best
A hula hoop for each small group (can be upright using a hula hoop holder or held by another student)
Various distance lines that students can successfully throw from
Station Instructions
Students work in partners or small groups taking turns throwing a ball through the hula hoop
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 towards the hula hoop and attempt to make it go through the center area
A group member can retrieve the ball in 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, establish a throwing order
2. Hot Spot Shot
Overview
Students take turns throwing beanbags into a clothes basket (or another container) that is sitting on a table. They throw from various spot markers and collect the marker if they are successful.
Equipment
Enough bean bags for each small group of 2 to 5 students
A clothes basket or some type of open box
Poly spots are scattered on the gym floor and used as markers to throw from
Station Instructions
Students work in partners or small groups taking
turns throwing a beanbag into a clothes basket
Wait in line for your turn to throw
When it is your turn go to any poly spot marker and throw a beanbag overhand at a basket sitting on a table (or on the floor)
If you make the shot, pick up the throwing marker and place it off to the side and shoot again from another poly spot.
Each successful throw counts as a point for you
Go to another marker and take a shot
See how many shooting markers you can get
When you miss, it's the next person's turn to throw
3. Knock it Off
Overview
Students take turns throwing smaller balls in an attempt to knock a larger ball off the top of a cone.
Equipment
A soft ball (i.e. yarn balls) for each small group of 2 to 5 students- Two shots work best
A large cone for each small group
A large ball (i.e. beach ball) to sit on top of the cone
Various distance lines- You can use poly spot markers
Station Instructions
Students work in partners or small groups taking turns throwing a ball at a larger ball that is sitting on top of a cone
Wait in line for your turn to throw
Throw a small yarn ball or gator skin ball towards the large cone and attempt to knock the big ball off the top
A group member can retrieve the ball in 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, establish a throwing order
4. Pin Knock Down
Overview
Students overhand throw balls at a set of pins, attempting to knock down as many as possible in two throws.
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 (could be from 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 in partners or small groups
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 towards the set of pins
Try to knock down as many possible with each of the 2 throws. Whatever pins are still up after the first throw, is what you are aiming for on the 2nd throw
A group member can remove the down pins and retrieve the ball in 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, establish a throwing order
5. Hoop Roll Target
Overview
Students work in partners or small groups and attempt to throw a ball through a rolling hoop
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 in partners or small groups taking turns throwing a ball at a hula hoop that has been rolled by another student
Wait in line for your turn to roll and/or throw
One student rolls the hoop across the gym (slow roll)
Another student throws a ball at the moving hula hoop as it rolls on by
A group member can retrieve the ball in between throws
Trade roles with your partner
If there are more than 3 in the group, establish 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
Equipment
Enough footballs for each small group of 2 to 5 students- Two shots work best
A laminated target on the wall or a cone. The cone can be placed on folded mats or on a chair to raise it higher
Poly spots for distance markers
Station Instructions
Students work in partners or small groups taking turns throwing a football at a laminated target
Wait in line for your turn to throw
Throw a football at the target. You can assign points for where it hits on the target before the game begins
A group member can retrieve the ball in between throws
Vary the distance you throw from 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, establish a throwing order
Final thoughts
Throwing stations provide a variety of benefits to students in physical education classes. They can help students improve their technique, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and social skills. Additionally, throwing stations are a great way to create an enjoyable and challenging environment in PE class. The stations can be set up for a variety of skill levels and can be adjusted to accommodate the number of students in a class. By incorporating different stations and activities, students can stay engaged while they are learning new skills. If you are looking for ways to make your PE class more fun and effective, consider incorporating throwing stations into your curriculum to see the benefits for yourself!
What are some of your favorite overhand throwing stations and fun games? Let me know in the comments below!
If you want even more throwing station ideas...I have an overhand throwing and underhand tossing set of challenge cards on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Need Resources
Do you need manipulative skill challenges & activities for your physical education program that includes detailed instructions and state-of-the-art graphics? Cap'n Pete's Power PE has you covered!
Fill in the form below to download 20 FREE PE Manipulative Skill Challenge Cards for your physical education program that includes detailed cues and student-friendly graphics. They are simple to use and effective for learning PE skills. Just print laminate, cut out and then distribute to your students during your physical education lessons. The set is a PDF skill-based resource, digital download that includes visuals from the following manipulative skill sets for your PE class:
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 be sure to enhance your PE curriculum for years!
If you're searching for a way to really spice up your PE program, Cap'n Pete's PE Skill Stations and Task Cards- 5 Product Mega Bundle is the perfect supplement. It is a grouping of stations signs, task cards, cue cards, and an assessment exit slip. Together, these items provide you with a practical tool to help your students understand, articulate and apply the basic fundamental cues for successful PE skill development. The skills learned through these stations will allow the students to perform better in PE lead up games in a variety of sports and other PE-based activities.
You can download them from either of the following platforms: Cap'n Pete's Power PE Website or Teachers Pay Teachers- Cap'n Pete's TPT Store
This comprehensive collection will help you guide and teach your students using 10 different manipulative skills from the following individual sets 1. throwing & tossing, 2. catching and fielding, 3. striking and volleying, 4. hand dribbling and ball control, and 5. kicking and foot dribbling.
Look for some upcoming articles on Cap'n Pete's blog that will focus on specific throwing and catching games, along with kicking and catching skills.
