Introduction to Ball Handling

Overview

In this first lesson of Ball Skills Bonanza, students explore safe, controlled handling of small balls. They practise dribbling, passing and catching through short partner and individual activities, building foundations for later movement games and invasion games.

Learning intentions

• WALT control a small ball using our hands.
• WALT dribble, pass and catch safely.
• WALT use our eyes to track the ball and move into a ready position.
• WALT use both our dominant and non-dominant hands.

Success criteria

• I can keep my ball close and under control.
• I can pass gently and accurately to a partner’s hands.
• I can watch the ball and get my hands ready to catch.
• I can try using both hands.

Curriculum links

• Linking, dribbling and passing movements together to move forward towards a goal.
• Tracking the path of a ball to decide when and where to move.
• Using dominant and non-dominant hands to send, receive and dribble.
• Developing control through changes in speed and direction.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Welcome and safety briefing. Teacher gathers students in a spread-out space, introduces the learning intentions using the opening and safety slides, and demonstrates the ready position: knees bent, eyes on the ball, hands open. Students show the ready position and identify safe space around them. Remind students: carry balls when moving, keep balls below shoulder height, pass only when a partner is ready, and freeze immediately on the signal.

2. 4–8 min · Ball familiarisation. Teacher gives each student a soft small ball and displays the visual instruction step cards beside the activity area, then models five challenges: hold, tap, roll, bounce and catch. Students work in their own space, trying each challenge first with their preferred hand and then with their other hand. Use the cue, “Soft hands, eyes watching,” and pause to check that balls remain under control.

3. 8–14 min · Dribble and control. Teacher demonstrates a hand dribble: push the ball down with relaxed fingers, keep it near the body, and adjust the force so it returns to hand height. Students practise stationary dribbling, then try three slow steps forwards and backwards. On the teacher’s signal, students change between preferred and non-preferred hands. Invite them to alter speed while keeping control: “Can you go slowly enough to catch every bounce?”

4. 14–21 min · Partner passing and catching. Teacher places students in pairs, approximately two metres apart, and uses the passing demonstration slide to show a gentle two-handed chest pass and a two-handed catch. Students pass and catch ten times, beginning close together and taking one step back only when successful. Partners use the cues, “Ready?” before passing and “Eyes, hands, catch.” If a catch is missed, students retrieve the ball by walking, reset, and try again rather than throwing harder.

5. 21–27 min · Move, pass and follow. Teacher models a simple three-person passing pathway: pass to a partner, move to an empty cone, and become ready to receive the next pass. Groups of three practise within a marked area, walking first and adding a gentle jog only if control is maintained. Students track the ball, move to open space and receive with hands ready. Rotate roles regularly so everyone passes, catches and moves. Ask, “Where should you move after you pass?” and “How did watching the ball help you?”

6. 27–30 min · Cool-down and reflection. Teacher brings students in with balls held still, revisits the reflection and plenary slide, and asks students to demonstrate one controlled dribble followed by a safe stop. Students share with a partner which skill felt strongest and which hand they would like to practise next. Finish with the traffic-light check-in cards: students indicate green for confident, amber for developing or red for needing more help with dribbling, passing or catching. Collect brief verbal responses from selected students.

Resources

• Soft small balls, one per student
• Cones or floor markers
• Large, clear playing area
• Whistle or agreed stop signal
• the Ball Skills Bonanza introduction deck
• the visual instruction step cards
• the traffic-light check-in cards

Assessment

• Observe whether students keep the ball below shoulder height, use relaxed hands and maintain control during stationary and moving dribbling.
• During partner work, check for accurate, gentle passes, eyes tracking the ball and hands positioned ready to catch.
• Note students who need a larger or softer ball, reduced distance or extra modelling; use the traffic-light response to identify priorities for Lesson 2.

Differentiation

• Support students by using larger, lighter or softer balls, reducing the passing distance, allowing a bounce pass, and providing a partner who models “ready” hands and gentle force.
• Keep students who are finding control challenged by allowing stationary practice before movement; use the visual instruction cards and repeat one step at a time.
• Extend confident students by asking them to dribble with their non-dominant hand, change direction around a cone, or pass while moving into open space.
• For EAL learners and students needing additional support, pair spoken cues with demonstrations and gestures: “look”, “hands ready”, “push softly”, “stop”. Ensure clear boundaries and allow walking instead of jogging.