Balloon Hitting Fun

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Overview

Unit: Ball Skills Bonanza
Lesson Number: 3 of 10
Lesson Title: Hitting with Support
Year Group: Year 3
Lesson Duration: 40 minutes
Class Size: 6 pupils
Setting: Indoor hall or large classroom with open space

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Curriculum Links

National Curriculum for Physical Education (KS2), England

• Pupils should continue to apply and develop a broader range of skills, learning how to use them in different ways and to link them to make actions and sequences of movement.
• They should enjoy communicating, collaborating and competing with each other.
• They should develop an understanding of how to improve in different physical activities and sports and learn how to evaluate and recognise their own success.

This lesson supports development in:

• Physical competency (object control, coordination, motor planning)
• Social interaction (encouragement, communication)
• Cognitive engagement (listening to instructions, following steps)
• Healthy participation (engagement in enjoyable physical activity)

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

1. Use an underhand swing technique to hit a balloon with verbal prompts.
2. Describe and demonstrate a simple follow-through motion.
3. Respond positively to gestural cues and encouragement.
4. Cooperate with a partner in a paired challenge.

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Success Criteria

• Can hold and swing a bat or arm with control.
• Listens attentively and responds to simple instructions.
• Recalls what follow-through means in movement.
• Tries their best and supports their partner.

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Resources

• 6 soft balloons (plus a few spares)
• 6 foam paddle bats OR table tennis bats (optional)
• 6 cones to mark safe zones
• Visual aids: laminated picture cards showing the swing movement
• Speaker and music for warm-up
• Whiteboard or display to show “Word of the Day”: Follow-through

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Lesson Structure

🕒 Warm-Up (5 minutes): "Balloon Statues"

• Each pupil has a balloon.
• Music playing; pupils keep balloons in the air using hands only.
• When music stops – freeze like a statue!
• Variations: touch balloon 3 times before freeze or use different body parts.

👉 Teaching Points: Gentle movements, eyes on the balloon, space awareness.

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🕒 Introduction & Demonstration (5 minutes)

• Gather pupils in semi-circle.
• Introduce today's focus: Hitting with Support.
• Introduce Word of the Day: Follow-through – “What happens after we hit – like a rainbow arc!”
• Demonstrate an underhand swing to hit balloon with arm or foam bat.
  • Voice prompt: “Ready... Swing… Finish!”
  • Gesture: Pointing in the direction the arm should follow.

👉 Key Teaching Tip: Use both visual (gesture) and auditory cues simultaneously to support learning.

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🕒 Activity 1 (10 minutes): "Hit and Catch"

Setup:

• Pupils in pairs, stood 2m apart.
• One pupil hits balloon toward partner, who catches it.

Variations:

• Use hands, then foam bat.
• Swap roles after 5 goes.
• Introduce challenge: Can you hit so your partner doesn’t need to move?

👉 Support Strategy: Use picture cards showing the motion sequence. Use gestures to guide (e.g., sweeping arm motion to indicate follow-through).

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🕒 Activity 2 (10 minutes): "Rainbow Swings"

Setup:

• Pupils spread out in “swing zones” marked by cones or lines.
• Each pupil has balloon and bat (or hand).

Instruction:

• Pupils practise swinging using underhand hit with BIG rainbow arc.
• Call out prompts:
  • “Swing like a rainbow!”
  • “Finish with your arm high!”
• Ask pupils to freeze at the end of swing — what did your hand do?

Challenges:

• Can you swing using your non-dominant hand?
• Can you do a “double rainbow” (two soft swings before it lands)?

👉 Extension: Ask pupils to explain the motion to their partner using their own words.

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🕒 Cool Down (5 minutes): "Sky Watchers"

• Pupils lie in a circle, each balloon is floated into the air.
• Watch balloon move slowly down – take deep breaths.
• Ask: “Which part of your body worked hardest today?”
• Reflect: “What does ‘follow-through’ mean in sport?”

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observation:

  • Look for control in movement and consistency of swing.
  • Do pupils respond to cues?
  • Are they following through their motion?

• Questioning:

  • “What happens after you hit?”
  • “Why is follow-through important?”

• Partner Feedback:

  • “I liked how you…”
  • “Next time maybe try…”

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Teacher's Notes

• Ideal for a calm, focused group.
• Praise effort and improvement – not just outcomes!
• Reinforce vocabulary ("swing", "hit", "follow-through").
• Modify for physical needs – allow seated participation or use lighter balloon types.

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Opportunities for Cross-Curricular Links

• English: Use of descriptive vocabulary ("float", "arc", "whoosh").
• Science (Physics): Momentum and direction – what makes the balloon go higher or further?

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WOW Factor Ideas 🎈

• Use bright light or colour-changing torch to highlight swing shapes in darker room.
• Record slow-motion video on tablet and play back to pupils – “Where is the follow-through?”
• Let pupils decorate their own balloon with faces/emotions – builds ownership and engagement.

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Differentiation

For Support:

• Verbally reinforce every step.
• Pair with confident peer models.
• Use tactile cues (gentle hand-over-hand support).

For Greater Depth Learners:

• Introduce scoring (1 point for strong follow-through in the right direction).
• Ask children to invent a new swing move and name it (e.g., “The Lightning Loop”).

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Looking Ahead

Next Lesson (Lesson 4): "Tracking and Reacting" — Pupils will develop the ability to track a moving object and react to it using catching and gentle tap-backs.

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This lesson is tailored to promote motor development, confidence, and precision in early ball-handling skills for young learners. The emphasis on visual and verbal support ensures inclusivity and boosts processing and engagement for varied learning needs.

Let’s make balloons bounce… and imaginations fly! 🎈