Introduction to students: Who likes marshmallows in their hot chocolate?

This activity is part of our winter games unit, which covers many throwing, catching and rolling experiences for our students. I use lots of non traditional equipment for many of my activities, including things I collect from around the school. Use what you have and make this game work for you.

Equipment:

• Industrial size toilet paper tubes (saved for me by my custodians)
• Wedge or incline mats
• Kids size swimming pools
• Small size white whiffle balls (or white fleece balls)

Optional:

• Pool noodle slices
• Score cards

Equipment Set Up:

Place multiple toilet paper tubes into baby pool. It doesn’t matter if you don’t “fill” the pool. Just use enough for students to be successful in the activity. Place the wedge mat with the tall end touching the baby pool.

How to Play

Students can play in pairs, threes or fours. Each student needs one marshmallow (whiffle ball). Students take turns rolling marshmallow up the ramp (wedge mat) to try to land the marshmallow into one of the hot chocolate cups. Players get one point each time the marshmallow lands inside the hot chocolate cup. Play to certain point level or time limit play.

Variations:

• You can use the noodle slices placed into tubes (hot chocolate cups) for additional point determination. Each group of players chooses three of each color noodle slices (3 orange, 3 yellow and 3 purple). Place one noodle slice in each cup. (All cups will not have a noodle slice). This variation allows for different point values for different cups.
• Remove the wedge mat and use this as an overhand throwing activity for students.

Scoring:

• Cups with no noodle slice = 1 point
• Purple = 2 points
• Orange = 3 points
• Yellow = 4 points

Players can use Scorekeeper score cards to help keep their scores.

(Scorekeeper: Credit to Physical Educator Mike Morris at www.MikemorrisPE.com)

About the Author:

Kelly Brown is currently in her 29th year teaching Physical Education and Health at Morgan County Primary School. She teaches 750 K-2 students each week. She was the recipient of the MCPS Teacher of the Year Award in 2014. She recently completed her Educational Specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction 2016. She has presented at the Share the Wealth Physical Education Conference at Jekyll Island and has published activities in the physical education magazine, Great Activities. She is also an upcoming presenter at the 2019 SHAPE America National Convention IN Tampa, Florida. She loves to be creative with her students and constantly strives to create a classroom culture of learning with joy and excitement.