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Practice games

Castle Hop

Garden game for brothers, sisters, friends or a grown-up: dribble into safe castles while one plays the dragon.

At home 6 min 2 to 4 players Garden With brothers, sisters or friends With a grown-up Under 5s and 2016 to 2021

Me and My Ball Lift each other

At a glance

  • Lay 3 castles (hoops, towels or mats) in a triangle in an 8 m square. Knights start on the edge with a ball each. One dragon, no ball.
  • Knights dribble into a castle and stop the ball inside it for 1 treasure point.
  • The dragon tries to toe-poke a knight's ball. A poked knight does 5 toe taps, then plays on.
  • Swap the dragon every 60 seconds. Add up one family total and try to beat it next round.
  • Progress 1: Knights cannot use the same castle twice in a row.
  • Progress 2: Knights visit the castles in order, round the triangle one way.

If it's not working: Use bigger castles.

Castle Hop: set-upDhoop or towel1231 to a castle, 2 dragon chases, 3 stop it in.8 m by 8 m
  • knights
  • Ddragon
  • run
  • dribble
  • 1in this order

Three castles (hoops, towels or doormats) in a triangle inside the square, about four big steps apart. A knight dribbles for the nearest castle and stops the ball inside it for a treasure point, while the dragon (D), a child or a grown-up with no ball, chases to toe-poke it.

Full details: set up, how to play, tips

Set up

  • Lay the 3 castles in a triangle inside the square, about 4 giant steps apart.
  • One player is the dragon, with no ball, standing in the middle. A grown-up can be the dragon too.
  • The knights start on the edge of the square, each with a ball.

8 m by 8 m of garden (about 10 giant steps each way), corners marked with 4 shoes or cones.

How to play

  • Knights dribble into a castle and stop the ball inside it, which adds 1 treasure point to the family total.
  • The dragon tries to toe-poke a knight's ball. A poked knight does 5 toe taps and carries on.
  • Swap the dragon every 60 seconds so everyone, grown-ups included, gets a go.
  • Try to beat the family total next round.

Make it easier

  • Bigger castles.
  • The dragon hops on one leg.

Make it harder, step by step

  1. Knights cannot use the same castle twice in a row.
  2. Then knights must visit the castles in order, going round the triangle one way.

Three things to say

  • Look up for the castle furthest from the dragon.
  • Cheer your brother or sister's treasure too.
  • Play fair and gentle.

Colts habit

Lift each other: one family total.

Both feet

Stop the ball in the castle with the practice foot sole.

Heads up

Look up for the castle furthest from the dragon.

For your birth year

Pick a birth year to show the tweak for that group.

2020 to 2021
The dragon walks with hands behind their back.
2016 to 2017
Knights must enter and leave a castle through different sides.
Under 5s
The grown-up is the dragon, roaring loudly but moving slowly. Carry the ball into a castle at first, then try dribbling it in.

Safety: Toe-poke the ball, not the knight. Keep castles flat on the ground.

My best

The family treasure total. Last round and this round. Only ever compared with their own earlier go, never with anyone else's. Saved on this device only.