Grade level: 3-8
Equipment: 2 mats, dodgeballs
Game Description: Swampball is the most popular game at physedgames. In fact, it is also a definite student favorite. This team dodgeball game places ‘swamps’ down on each side where players will get stuck in.
- Divide the gym into 2 halves, 1 team on each half.
- Place an exercise mat down at the back of each side. Those are the swamps.
- Add in the dodgeballs and it’s game on!
- When players are hit, they must go into the swamp on the opposite side. Players are stuck in that swamp until they can catch a ball that has been thrown to them by their teammates who are trying to save them.
- If an entire team becomes stuck in the swamp, the round is over, so start a new round. Play over and over again!
- An optional rule that has proved to work well is this: if a player can throw a ball across and into to the opposite basketball hoop then EVERYONE from his team who is stuck in the swamp is freed.
I’m going to try this with a holiday theme and call it a “Snowball fight”. The balls are snowballs. If you get hit, you go “Home” to the mats to warm up and dry off. When you catch a ball, you can come back in and play again. So, I’m going to use the same rules, but with a Christmas spin.
I used the same rules and called it ‘Batman Ball’ for superhero week. Instead of going to the swamp, you went to Gotham City. Kids loved it. Thanks for all the great ideas!!
this game is good
I am going to try this with kicking, but put the swamps off to the side. If you are in the middle area you have to kick the ball (or maybe domes) on the ground to get someone out, then they go to the swamp off to the side where a student can drop kick or punt a ball to them to get them back in the game. I will make a rule that if you are in the area where the ball has to stay on the ground, and you kick in the air then you are automatically out.
this is a SUPER fun game!!!! i totally recommend it!!!
All time favorite. We play on a basketball court, and the key is the swamp, and only below-the-waist hits count.