Week 22: Striking with a Bat; Hitting

Week 22 Striking with a Bat Lesson Plan

 

This activity is a great cross curricular part 3.  Be sure to have your cones far enough apart to insure the students don’t hit each other when they swing.

 

Equipment on a budget!

Foam Noodle Bats

This is a quick, easy and inexpensive way to create enough bats for every child!  Take the Pool noodle (best with no center hole) and cut them into 2-1/2 foot lengths. Choose a diameter 2-1/2 inches or less.

children hitting balloons with pool foam

 

Noodles to make Bats

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foam Noodle Rackets

pool noodle racquet ball

For this project we used pool noodles from the Dollar store, duct tape and mesh bags that lemons are packaged in. So, save those little mesh bags as we will be finding more uses as time goes by.

foam pool noodle racquets

These racquets are perfect for summer game time or an outdoor party activity.

What You Need:

  • Foam Pool Noodles
  • Mesh veggie/fruit bag
  • Duct tape
  • Small serated knife
  • Lightweight rubber ball

What to Do:

  1. Cut away a 6 inch piece (half of the bottom on each end).  You want to be sure to cut “matching” mirror sides so that when you tape your handle together it will form a smooth cylindrical handle.  Also cut a slight angled piece upward from your original cut, so that the area above the handle “fits” together well.
  2. Tape the handle securely.
  3. Slide the racquet into the mesh bag and tape, tauntly, to the handle.

One of the nice things about these racquets is the safety aspect for young kids.

foam racquets for kids

 

 

Coat Hanger Balloon and Yarn Ball Paddlenylonpaddles150

Materials:

  • One light-weight metal coat-hanger per personWire Hanger
  • One leg of a pair of old panty-hose per person (Runs are fine.)

Procedure:

  1. Pull down on the middle of the bottom of a metal coat hanger until it makes a diamond shape.
  2. tuck one leg of a pair of panty hose into the other leg.Nylon over racket
  3. Open the top of the panty-hose leg, and pull it over the diamond part of the coat-hanger.
  4. Bend the top, hooked part of the coat hanger until it bends around to touch itself, forming a small teardrop-shaped handle.
  5. Pull the open end of the pantyhose leg over the teardrop and then wrap it around and around the tear-drop to cushion it.
  6. Wrap electric or racket tape around the Racket Handle Wrappedcushioned handle area, to hold the panty-hose in place, and to form a handle. Voila

Finished Racket