Spatial Requirements: Gym/outdoor space required
Activity Type: Movement/group
Grades: 1-12
Group Size: 10 or more
Time: 45 minutes
Introduction: This crazy version of baseball is an effective way to introduce a discussion on rules. There are some rules that apply to certain groups and not to others. For example, you can’t drive until you turn 16, you can’t vote until you turn 18. While at times these restrictions may be difficult to understand, in the end they are for our personal benefit and the benefit of the entire community, group, or society.
Materials:
- 1 die
- A blindfold and/or helmet
- Any variety of items that can be used to hit a ball (tennis racket, baseball bat, broom, etc.)
- A variety of balls or other items that can be hit (tennis ball, rubber ball, baseball, football, teddy bear, etc.)
Activity:
After gathering the above items, create a list of six ways a ball or object can be hit, kicked, or knocked, for example:
- Wear a blindfold and kick the purple ball (you may remove the blindfold before running the bases).
- Hit the teddy bear with the tennis racket.
- Hit the large rubber ball with the baseball bat.
- Sing a song, and then hit the tennis ball with the broom.
- Put on the bicycle helmet, spin around ten times with the baseball bat touching the floor and your forehead at the same time, then kick the rubber ball.
- Hit the football with the bat.
Divide the group into two teams, just as you would for baseball, and play this game somewhere with marked bases: in a baseball field, a kickball field, or a gym. Play according to baseball rules. There are three outs. If the ball is caught you are out, if you are tagged you are out, etc. On your turn, roll the die and act according to the corresponding rule number. The person pitching must follow the directions and throw or roll the appropriate ball or object. If anyone breaks their rule, they are out.
Variation: You may use a pair of dice and have a list of twelve ways to hit the ball instead. Or have a pair of dice and one dice refers to the item propelled (rubber ball, teddy bear, etc.) while the other die refers to the way in which you propel the object (kick, bat, broom etc.).
Processing the Experience:
- Did you always like the rule you were asked to follow? Why or why not?
- Did you wish you could have followed one of the other rules or directions? Which one? Why?
- Did you ever just choose to follow your own rule and play the way you wanted instead of what you rolled? What were the consequences?
- In real life, are there rules or laws that apply to us and not someone else? Is that fair? Why or why not?
- What do you think would happen if everyone got to make up their own rules, or choose which rules they wanted to follow and which ones they would not?
- What are the consequences of not following rules in real life?