Snow Bocce

Setting: Curricular

Season: Winter

Activity Goal

Participants send objects to targets while adapting to winter conditions and reflect on how weather and snow affect their movement. Participants consider how they can play this game with friends and family to stay active in winter.

For participant safety, please review the contents of the Beyond the Walls: Safety Considerations page for information on Safety Standards, Winter Safety Considerations, and Outdoor Playing Areas and Surfaces.

Equipment

• Hoops
• Objects to send, 1 per participant (bean bags, discs, rubber chicken, variety of balls)
• Pylons

Before Play

• Review the safety rules and activity instructions with participants prior to the activity.
• Establish the boundaries for the designated playing area and share them with participants.
• Create targets using hoops or pylons.
• Establish a sending line for each target to indicate where participants will stand to send their object.  Draw lines in the snow or use cones to mark the line.
• Invite participants to select an object to send from the available equipment.
• Divide participants into equal groups based on the number of targets and assign each group a target. Have groups line up behind the designated sending line of their target.
• Explain to participants that they will send their objects to the target to hit or land close to their target.

During Play

• On a determined signal, all participants practice sending their object (bean bag, ball, rubber chicken, etc.) towards their target using an underhand toss.
• On a second signal, participants gather their object and attempt to send their object using an overhand throw.
• Use the following prompts for groups to explore movement concepts:
  • What might happen if you send the object using quick arm movements?
  • What might happen if you send the object slowly?
  • What might happen if you send the object in an arc to reach your target?
  • What might happen if you send your object straight forward to reach your target?
• Provide groups with an object to use as a Pallino (e.g., bean bag, disc, smaller ball), explaining that this represents their target.
• Invite groups to first throw their Pallino anywhere in the designated playing area, being careful of other participants and the space. Groups then use their current position as a starting line to send their objects in different ways (e.g., underhand, overhand, in an arc, straight line) in an attempt to hit their Pallino.
• When all objects have been sent, groups choose a movement pattern (e.g., hopping, giant steps, sidestep) to travel to their Pallino to retrieve their objects.
• Groups repeat the sequence of sending the Pallino, sending their objects, then retrieving their objects using different movement patterns.

After Play

Use the following prompts for participants to reflect on how playing games in winter affects their movement and how they can play this game with friends or family to stay active in winter.

Question prompts:

• How did participating in this activity in snow affect how you were sending your object?
• How did your clothing affect your ability to send your object? What did you have to do to be successful?
• How did the snow affect how you moved to retrieve your Pallino? Which movement worked best to get to your target?
• What did you find challenging about playing this game in winter? What did you enjoy most about playing this game in winter?
• How could you play this game with family or friends to help everyone stay active in the winter? What objects might you use for winter targets? Where might you play?

Adaptations

Consider these tips to maximize the challenge and the fun for participants.

• Change the distance, height, and size of the target.
• Assign points for each successful hit of the target.
• Try sending the object using a different body part.

Modifications

Consider these tips to maximize inclusion and fun for all participants.

• For participants with challenges grasping objects, consider having them hold and release the object on command.
• For participants with mobility challenges, consider finding other options to explore different ways of locomotion (e.g., outdoor wheelchair, adapted sled) while carrying or balancing the object in various ways.