Block Bowling
Grade Level(s): Preschool
By: Paula Diekhoff, Preschool Teacher

A large motor cooperative activity involving thinking skills, experimentation, and eye-hand coordination.

Materials:

• 3 large cardboard (NOT wooden) blocks
• 1 small rubber playground ball or small basketball

Plan:

1. Children form a line and sit down.
2. The teacher can be the first "pin setter".
3. Teacher arranges the 3 cardboard blocks in any configuration, then first child in line rolls the ball to knock the blocks down.
4. The "pin setter" collects the ball and takes it to the next person in line.
5. The child who rolled the ball then becomes the "pin setter".
6. Repeat process so each child is able to be both the bowler and the pin setter (or, "roller and stacker" as we call them).

Comments:

Kids really enjoy stacking the blocks more than rolling the ball, as they try to make it difficult for the bowler to knock all the blocks down. You could increase the number of blocks to 4 and then 5 as the year and the skill level progresses.