In March, it’s tournament time. If you live in the same type of home that I do, there is no doubt you are aware of this. Our television is flipping from one tournament game to another and even high school basketball tournaments. Every once in a while I’ll even get in on a bracket. The good news is that basketball is easy to apply to gross motor games and can easily be incorporated into gross motor planning this time of the year. Check out some of these great Basketball Themed Gross Motor Ideas.
Basketball Themed Gross Motor Ideas
Need something fast and no equipment? Check out these basketball brain break ideas and move your body like a basketball player!
GET BASKETBALL THEMED BRAIN BREAK CARDS
A basketball theme is the perfect time to incorporate eye-hand coordination activities. If you have access to a basketball hoop use it, otherwise setting up hoops with pool noodle or hula hoops is a great option. Toss a bean bag or ball through the hoop. This is also a great time to try different bean bag games with a hoop. Make a hula hoop look like a basketball hoop.
Modify this activity by adding squats, side steps, and single foot standing.
Basketball is also the perfect opportunity to work on agility drills. Use tape, an agility ladder, or chalk if your outdoors to make an agility course. Here are some agility drill ideas to get you started.
Be sure to stop by the Pink Oatmeal freebie library and get yourself the FREE footprints. This way you can create your own agility ladders!
Tabata drills – basketball players need to practice there agility and quickness outside of traditional ladder drills. Tabata drills are a fun way to do this. There are several free “tabata timers” that you can download on your tablet or smartphone.
Basketball Relays – These can be done with one person going against their own time or several kids racing against each other. Ideas for relays include dribbling, running with the ball, running backward with the ball, side shuffles, dribbling backward, jumping while holding the ball, and jumping backward while holding the ball.
Go Digital and play the basketball themed bilateral coordination game! This is a fun digital game that can be played on your computer, tablet or interactive whiteboard. This is a great option for BOTH in person and distance learning.
GET THE BASKETBALL BILTARERAL COORDINATION GAME
This game can also be printed and used as printables. Place the printables on a wall, door, or in the hall. Put them where you please!
Traditional Basketball Games – Play some of the traditional games such as P-I-G or H-O-R-S-E. You could even try a free throw shooting contest (or something much closer).
Passing Drills
How about some passing drills. There is of course your traditional catch and throw games, but you can also make it fun and silly while working on motor skills with some of these ideas below.
Basketball Fine Motor Activities
The basketball dance is a fun fine motor activity that is perfect for basketball season or tournament time! This game is free in the Pink Oatmeal freebie library!
More Basketball Fine Motor
This is a great time to incorporate sports themed fine motor activities including basketball. Check out the 9 different sports themed fine motor activities now.
GET THE SPORTS THEMED FINE MOTOR ACTIVITIES
TIP: Do you have old trophies, ribbons, or medals laying around your home? If so this may be a good time to make them useful again and give them out as awards for working hard on basketball gross motor skills. This was one of the things that I’ve done with my old awards and the kids LOVE it!
Basketball Visual Motor
How cute are these Basketball Shape Clip Cards! Not only are they a great fine motor activity, but they are great for visual motor skills too!
Basketball Resources
Get your hands on a huge collection of resources perfect for your basketball theme, ball skills unit, March Madness, the NCAA tournament and more!
Pink Oatmeal has resources created for you that your kids will LOVE. You will save time and effort by having it all done for you!
Click on the name of the resource below and see a detailed version of that resource!
