BEANBAG BASKETBALL: Fun K-12 Underhand Throwing and Catching PE Game

BEANBAG BASKETBALL: If you’re looking for an underhand throwing and catching practice game that mixes in a CRAZY FUN basketball twist, you’re going to LOVE BEANBAG BASKETBALL!

BEANBAG BASKETBALL: Underhand Throwing PE Game

BEANBAG BASKETBALL: A FUN Underhand Throwing and Catching PE Game for K–12

BEANBAG BASKETBALL is a fast-paced, relay-style team PE game that combines underhand throwing, catching, throwing for accuracy, and teamwork into one exciting basketball-inspired physical education game!

Best of all, it’s super easy to set up, uses equipment you probably already have in your gym, and can be easily adapted for students in grades Kindergarten through high school.

BEANBAG BASKETBALL PE Gym UNDERHAND THROWING CATCHING Games Teacher Lesson Plans

Snag your own BEANBAG BASKETBALL Complete Lesson Plan HERE!

Hi there, it’s so great to meet you! I’m Mrs. T. (or you can call me Jen) – a Michigan mom, wife, new grandma (aka “Jemma”) K-12 PE teacher, blogger (Love 2 Teach and Learn) and author of 59 CRAZY FUN Elementary PE Games that ROCK!

59 Crazy Fun Elementary PE Games that ROCK - Love 2 Teach and Learn

I love teaching PE class because I get to spend time telling Silly SPORTS JOKES and exercising, while laughing with my students.

I’m also on a serious mission to MAKE SCHOOL FUN AGAIN and I believe physical education class is the ABSOLUTE BEST WAY to do just that!

So, if you’re ready…Grab your beanbags, poly spots, and basketballs hoops (or buckets) and let’s get ready for some…

SERIOUS PE FUN!

Since the main PE focus skill for this game is UNDERHAND THROWING it’s important to communicate that to your students before playing the game.

BEANBAG BASKETBALL: I CAN use an accurate underhand throw to pass a beanbag to my teammates and aim for the basket - Love 2 Teach and Learn

I like to use I CAN STATEMENTS with my students.

The learning target or “I CAN” Statement that I teach to my students and have them repeat back to me before playing this awesome underhand throwing practice PE Game is as follows:

I CAN… use an accurate underhand throw to pass a beanbag to my teammates and aim for the basket.

The kid-friendly cue words and phrases that I use to help my students improve their underhand throwing skills are:

EYES ON TARGET
STEP WITH OPPOSITE FOOT
SWING, THROW, FOLLOW

*This Post and Play PE Learning Target/I CAN Statement Poster is included in the Complete BEANBAG BASKETBALL Lesson Plan HERE.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

For this underhand throwing and catching PE game you will need the following:

4 BASKETS or BUCKETS
20 BEANBAGS – 10 per team (different colors for each team works best)
POLY SPOTS (one for each student to stand on)
BASKETBALL HOOP
KIDS READY TO HAVE A TOTAL BLAST

BEANBAG BASKETBALL – Game Setup

FIRST, divide your class into 2 equal teams and line the length of the gym with two straight or slightly zigzagging lines of poly spots extending from one end of the gym toward the basketball hoop on the other side.

NEXT, have one student stand on each of the poly spots.

THEN, at the beginning of each line, place a bucket containing 10 bean bags each.

FINALLY, at the opposite end of each line, near the basketball hoop, place an empty scoring or collection bucket.

How to Play: BEANBAG BASKETBALL

OBJECT OF THE GAME – Be the first team to successfully underhand throw, shoot, and score all 10 beanbags into their team’s scoring bucket!

When the game begins, the first player in line underhand throws one bean bag to the next teammate in line. Players continue throwing and catching the beanbag from one poly spot to the next, moving it forward toward the hoop.

If a teammate drops the beanbag, the thrower retrieves it, returns to their spot, and repeats the pass.
The beanbag cannot advance until it is successfully caught.
When the beanbag reaches the final player closest to the basketball hoop, that student gets THREE attempts to underhand throw the beanbag and make it into the basket.

If they MAKE the basket, the shooter places the beanbag into their team’s scoring collection bucket, runs safely back to the beginning of the line, and grabs a NEW beanbag from the starting bucket.

If the shooter misses, they run the beanbag back to the start to try again.

After EVERY basket attempt (make or miss), all teammates rotate or move up one spot.

The team that successfully scores all 10 beanbags and transfers them into their scoring bucket first…WINS!

GAME TEACHING TIPS

📌TIP 1: Beanbag Basketball can easily be played with K-5 students and even middle and high school kids. However, for K-2 students, simply use buckets on the ground instead of the basketball hoop. I also like to adjust the distance between spots based on grade and skill level.
📌TIP 2: Remind students: No skipping teammates or spots, keep one foot on your spot when throwing and catching, and rotate after every shot!
📌TIP 3: If one team scores all 10 beanbags before everyone has had a chance to shoot, let the other team finish while everyone cheers them on, or simply play another round starting from the positions where students left off!
📌TIP 4: STUCK BAG! If a beanbag gets stuck in the hoop, Yell out “STUCK BAG”, count it as a successful basket and have the shooter grab a replacement to keep playing!
📌TIP 5: It’s very helpful to keep a basket of replacement bean bags nearby “just in case” you have several STUCK BAGS – LOL.

WATCH: How to Play BEANBAG BASKETBALL

THE FINAL WHISTLE

BEANBAG BASKETBALL is such an exciting whole-class team PE Game that keeps everyone throwing, aiming, catching, cheering, smiling, and most importantly, having a total blast.

And if you loved this awesome “underhand throwing” skill game, be sure to check out my other AWESOME underhand throwing elementary PE games like: CHICKEN CLIMBS THE LADDER, HOOP HUSTLE RELAY, BULLSEYE BAGS (Cornhole in the Gym) and TIC-TAC-THROW.

So, why not blast some “clean” and upbeat PE music and bring the excitement of BEANBAG BASKETBALL to your gymnasium TODAY!

Don’t Forget! You can grab your very own PDF of this awesome PE Game RIGHT HERE!

Mrs. T’s K-5 PE GAMES “Always Growing” BUNDLE

And if you want the absolute BIGGEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK, Beanbag Basketball is also included in my “ALWAYS GROWING” K-5 FULL YEAR PE Game and Resource BUNDLE too!