Knock ’em Down

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Resource
Disability-Centred Movement: Supporting Inclusive Physical Education
Grade(s)
4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Division(s)
Junior, Intermediate

Game Category: Target Games

Type of Activity: Individual Play

What’s It All About?

Sports such as boccia and wheelchair curling can be categorized as target games. In these sports, participants send an object toward a target in different ways. For example, participants may be standing or seated, and may use an implement to send the object. In this activity, participants play alone and explore a variety of ways to send different objects from a starting line to knock down pins.

Did You Know?

  • In Special Olympics Bowling, there are options for modifications such as ramps, which are used when a participant needs additional support to roll the bowling ball with their hand(s).1
  • In Paralympic Boccia, some participants may compete with the help of an assistant, who must remain outside the participant's playing box. An assistant can only stabilize or adjust the playing chair and give a ball to the participant when requested.2
  • In Para Archery, archers can either compete in a wheelchair, standing, or resting on a stool. The Paralympic competition format is identical to that of the Olympic Games, where archers shoot 72 arrows from a distance of 70 metres.3

Equipment

  • 2 implements for sending per group (e.g., pool noodles, hockey sticks)
  • 3 objects to send per participant/pair (e.g., jingle balls, beeper balls, beanbag, foam balls, rubber chickens, deck rings)
  • 10 bowling pins or pylons with objects balanced on the top per group (e.g., disc, foam ball, tennis ball) for targets
  • Equipment to write and record (e.g., paper and writing utensils, electronic devices), 1 per participant/pair
  • Pylons or floor tape to mark the sending lines

Safety

For participant safety, please review the Disability-Centred Movement Activities safety page and the activity instructions prior to the activity.

Set-up

  • Participants can play alone or in pairs.
  • Have participants create a target in their designated playing area by placing 10 bowling pins (or pylons) in a triangle shape: 1 pin in the first row, 2 pins in the second row, 3 pins in the third row, 4 pins in the fourth row.
  • Have participants establish their starting line at one end of the playing area and a sending line marked with pylons or floor tape about 6 feet away from the target.

Learn to Play

  • Provide each participant or pair with 3 objects to send from their designated starting line.
  • On the signal to begin, participants travel to their sending line with 1 object (e.g., jingle ball, beeper ball, beanbag, foam ball, rubber chicken, deck ring) and attempt to knock down the pins with their object. If pins are left standing, the participant travels back to the starting line to retrieve the next object and attempts to knock down the remaining pins.
  • The objective of the activity is to knock down all 10 pins within 3 attempts or fewer.

Action to Play

  • As a whole group, create a list of ways a participant can send an object to the target. For example: 
    • Bounce or dribble a ball to the sending line and roll it toward the target.
    • Explore playing in a seated position or kneeling on 1 or 2 knees while using 1 hand to roll or slide the object.
    • Explore using an implement to send the object (e.g., pool noodle, hockey stick with blade on the ground).
    • Explore the use of different body parts when sending the object.
    • Use available equipment to create a structure to roll or send the object toward the target (e.g., create a ramp using foam mats).
    • Create different targets such as balancing a beanbag on a pylon, and attempt to knock the beanbag off the pylon.
    • Position the targets in different formations to make it easier or more challenging.
    • Knock down the targets within a designated time.
  • Invite participants to explore the different ways they can be successful at hitting the target using various objects.
  • Invite participants to explore how to adjust the boundaries, targets, and rules of the activity to make it easier or more challenging, while being attentive to their safety and the safety of other participants.

Power All to Play

  • Invite participants to explore the Action to Play co-created list of different ways to send an object when playing the activity.
  • The objective of this activity is to knock down all the pins while accumulating the greatest number of points. For example, if a participant sends their object from the second line and knocks down 2 pins, they receive 4 points (2 pins x 2). If a participant sends their object from the first line and knocks down all 10 pins, they receive 30 points (10 pins x 3).
  • Create 3 consecutive sending lines away from the target, marked with pylons or floor tape so that participants can choose which line they want to send their object from.
  • Provide participants/pairs with paper and writing utensils to record their points.
  • Identify the following: 
    • First (closest) sending line. Points from this line are multiplied by 1.
    • Second (middle) sending line. Points from this line are multiplied by 2.
    • Third (farthest) sending line. Points from this line are multiplied by 3.
  • On the signal to begin, participants attempt to knock down the pins from any of the 3 sending lines of their choice.

Play & Ponder

Use the following prompts throughout the activity to encourage participants to think about and apply the skills, concepts, and strategies used in the activity.

  • Describe how you position your body (e.g., feet, legs, torso, arms, head, eyes) and how it moves in different ways (e.g., turns, rotates, leans, extends) to send the object toward the target.
  • How can you adjust the activity (e.g. boundaries, objects, ways to send the object) to make it more challenging?
  • How can you adjust the activity (e.g., boundaries, objects, ways to send the object) so that you are more successful?
  • Which objects are you most successful using to knock down the targets? What other equipment could be used to make the activity more or less challenging?
  • When working with a partner, describe how you would provide constructive feedback to help them be more successful in this activity.
  • Describe other sports, games, and activities that use the same skills, concepts, and strategies like this target game.

    1Adapted from: Special Olympics (2023). Sport Fact Sheet: Bowling. Extracted from: https://media.specialolympics.org/resources/sports-essentials/fact-sheets/FactSheet-Bowling.pdf

    2Adapted from: Canadian Paralympic Committee (2023). Boccia. Extracted from: https://paralympic.ca/paralympic-sports/boccia

    3Adapted from: Canadian Paralympic Committee (2023). Para Archery. Extracted from: https://paralympic.ca/paralympic-sports/para-archery