Category: Basketball

Masterball

Grade level: 6-8
Equipment: 2 basketballs, net, 5 cones
Game Description: Masterball can be played as a stand-alone game, or as a game to supplement a basketball unit. Two teams compete to be first to knock over the target cone and quickly move to layups and passing. Skills involved are aiming, rolling, catching, running, passing, and layups. Try it out! Read More →

Popcorn Basketball

Grade level: 3-8
Equipment: Foam balls, Lilly pads, mats
Game Description: Popcorn Basketball is a neat mini-game to play which helps reinforce shooting technique. Players move from spot to spot taking shots into a large target. One player is inside the target area, continuously tossing the balls out like a popcorn machine. Read More →

Catch-5

Grade level: 3-8
Equipment: Ball
Game Description: Catch-5 is a top notch team game! It’s definitely one of the better games out there to promote and enhance the passing skill, as well as other skills such as moving to open spaces, pivoting, and intercepting. Lots of action and lots of fun as players work together to score points by completing 5 passes before losing control of the ball or before the other team intercepts them. Highly recommended for use as part of a basketball or team handball unit, or as a stand-alone game for physical education class. Read More →

Pirates

Grade Level: 4-8
Equipment: Basketballs
Game Description: Pirates is a fantastic game to practice dribbling and control in basketball. All players dribble a basketball around the playing area, while 3 pirates without a ball go around and try to steal the ball from a player. If a pirate manages to steal a ball, then the player who is left without a ball is now one of the 3 pirates. Read More →

Red-Light Green-Light Dribbling

Grade level: 4-8
Equipment: Basketballs
Game Description: This P.E. game has students practice basic start and stop signals, as well as the dribbling skill in basketball. It’s the typical red means stop, green means go game but with the added difficulty of dribbling the basketball (but no double dribble)!

Bump

Grade level: 5-8
Equipment: 2 basketballs
Game Description: What a fun shooting game! Players can get really sweaty; a good sign of healthy exercise. This continuous shooting game gives lots of reps of practice for the shooting skill. Even when players get knocked out of the game, they can either cheer on their friends who are left in the game or go shooting around on another hoop. This is a definite must-play physical education game, especially as a part of a basketball unit.

3-on-3

Grade level: 5-8
Equipment: Basketball
Game Description: 3-on-3 basketball is a great way to play a scrimmage-type game using only 1 net. It’s great for practicing screens, picks and rolls, give and gos, triangles, cuts, and all other fundamental basketball skills. Many lunch hours have been spend in the gym playing good old 3 on 3 basketball.

HORSE

Grade level: 5-8
Equipment: Basketball
Game Description: The goal is to not be the HORSE. In this basketball shooting game, players must make the same shot that has been made by the player before them, or else they get a letter. So if your friend shoots from downtown and makes it, then you have to make that exact same shot, or you get a letter ‘H’. Fun little game to play with anywhere from 2-5 people.

Around The World

Grade level: 5-8
Equipment: Basketballs
Game Description: Another basketball shooting game where players attempt to be the first to make it around the world by successfully making shots from different spots around the hoop. At each shooting spot, players can take a 2nd chance if they miss the first, however, if they miss their chance, then they must return to the beginning. Another great shooting game for PE class.

21

Grade level: 5-8
Equipment: Basketball
Game Description: 21 is perhaps the most popular shooting game for basketball. The idea is simple: be the first to reach 21 points. Normally played in pairs or threes, players take turns shooting for 1 or 2 points – unless you’re really good, you could make it to 21 without your opponent even having a chance to shoot! Great game for practicing free throws (foul shots).