Dribbling control improves when kids have to do it under pressure. Dribble tag forces them to keep the ball while being chased.
Equipment needed: One basketball per child (or one per two kids in rotation), a 30-by-30-foot space marked with cones.
Setup: Mark a square. All kids enter with a ball except one kid who is “it.”
How to run it:
- The kid who is “it” tries to tag another kid.
- All other kids dribble their balls around the square, trying not to get tagged.
- If you’re tagged, you become “it.”
- Play for 10 minutes.
What to look for: Dribble control while moving fast. Kids who look at the ball will bump into people. Kids who keep their eyes up will see the tagger coming.
If they’re struggling: Shrink the square to 20 by 20 feet so taggers are easier to spot. Allow a two-hand carry once per round if they lose the ball.
If they’ve got it: Add a second tagger. Or shrink the square so traffic is denser and dribblers must change direction more often.