Knights, Castles and Dragons with a Ball
Practice game for dribbling into safe spaces and escaping pressure.
At a glance
- A 20 m square with a 3 m cone castle in each quarter. Knights have a ball each. Two dragons in bibs, no ball, start in the middle.
- Knights dribble into a castle and back out for 1 treasure point for the group. Dragons cannot go into a castle.
- A dragon who touches a knight's ball with a foot sends that knight to do 5 toe taps. Then the knight plays on.
- New dragons every 60 seconds. The group tries to beat its treasure total each round.
- Progress 1: Knights cannot visit the same castle twice in a row.
- Progress 2: Add a third dragon.
If it's not working: One dragon only.
- knights
- dragons
- run
- dribble
- 1in this order
Four cone castles, one in the middle of each quarter. A knight dribbles into a castle for a treasure point while a dragon gives chase but has to stop at the castle wall. Another knight dribbles back out of a castle to go again. The other knights start on the edge with a ball each.
Full details: set up, how to play, tips and age tweaks
Set up
- Mark the big square with 4 corner cones.
- Place one 3 m by 3 m castle in the middle of each quarter of the square.
- The 2 dragons wear bibs, have no ball and start in the centre.
- All knights start on the outside edge, each with a ball.
20 m by 20 m square (4 corner cones); 4 castles, each a 3 m by 3 m square of 4 cones (16 cones); 1 ball per knight; 2 bibs for dragons.
How to play
- Knights dribble into any castle and back out, and every visit adds 1 point to the whole group's treasure total.
- Dragons cannot enter castles but try to touch a knight's ball with their foot. A touched knight does 5 toe taps and carries on.
- New dragons every 60 seconds so everyone gets a turn.
- After each round, the group tries to beat its treasure total.
Keeping everyone moving
Every knight has a ball and there are four castles. A touch means five toe taps, not out.
Make it easier
- One dragon only.
- Bigger castles (4 m by 4 m).
Make it harder, step by step
- Knights cannot visit the same castle twice in a row.
- Add a third dragon.
Three things to say
- Look up to find the castle with no dragon near it.
- Change direction when a dragon comes.
- Shout out the treasure total together.
Colts habit
Lift each other: the treasure total belongs to everyone.
Both feet
Enter one castle with the practice foot for a bonus cheer.
Heads up
Look up to find the castle with no dragon near it.
For your birth year
Pick a birth year to show the tweak for that group.
- 2021
- The coach is the only dragon.
- 2018 to 2020
- As written, with two child dragons.
- 2016 to 2017
- Make castles 2 m by 2 m and knights must leave through a different side from the one they came in.
A young leader can run this one, with an adult coach beside them.
Safety: Dragons touch the ball, never the knight. Keep castles clear of the edges.
Keeping score: The group's treasure total, compared with its last round only.