aka – Dust Hockey
Equipment:
- 2 hockey sticks (or batons made from rolled up news paper)
- 1 puck or small ball (or a ball made from paper scrumpled into a ball and taped to keep its shape, don’t worry if the ball is not perfect it adds to the fun!)
- 2 goals (improvise using two chairs if you want or something similar)
Preparation:
Mark out a small playing area with goals at either end.
Fast and furious, if you are playing it as a party game use news paper batons and ball. As only two players are on the pitch at any one time the playing area does not have to be large and I’ve found it can be easily played in a small hall. Divide into equal teams who line up/sit down on either side of the pitch. Let teams know which goal is theirs and give each team member a number so that they each have an opponent on the other team who has the same number. Place the ball/puck in the middle with the hockey sticks/batons either side of it. When a number is called team members with that number have to run out grab the sticks/batons and try to score a goal. However if another number is called they have to drop their sticks/batons and swap places with the new players. This continues until a goal has been scored at which point batons and ball are placed back in the middle before starting again.
Variation
Broom Ball
Sent in by George Galli
For larger spaces such as a playing field. Use a rubber ball, but if you are limited to space use a softer ball (such as foam one) which won’t travel so far when its been hit. Divide players evenly into two teams giving each player a number so that players all have an opponent with the same number as them on the opposing team and place the each team at opposite ends of the playing field. Put the brooms and ball in the middle of the field.
When the referee calls out the number of one of the players in each team, those players quickly run and grab one of the brooms and begin to try and knock the ball over the line of the opposing team. The opposing team members can only block using their body. If the ball makes it over the line (past the opposing team) the scoring team gains a point. There are no set time limits and at any point the referee can call out another number, at which those players on the field have to drop their brooms where they are and run back to their teams. Only then can the players whose numbers have just been called can run onto the field and resume the game from where is was left off. For safety as in hockey, the rule is no high sticking (head of brooms must be kept below waist height).
Carry on till a pre-determined score, time limit or exhausted….
Variation
Emma Tempest, 1st Hayes End Girls' Brigade Company.
A variation can be played with the numbers being replaced by the names of farm animals or football teams etc – the children themselves will enjoy coming up with ideas for these.
