Lesson 4 - Stopping a Ball with Hands
Foundation Hand-Ball Skills Through Playful Precision
•Year 1
•Ball Skills
•Start Planning Better PE Lessons
Sign up free to access 3 complete units per month, unlimited activity library, and your personal locker.
What's included
- Complete activity instructions & timing
- Teaching tips & differentiation strategies
- Assessment guidance & success criteria
- Downloadable lessons & units
How can we become ball-stopping heroes who never let the ball escape?
Learning Objectives
- To explore different ways of stopping a rolling ball using hands
- To develop ready position and tracking skills for ball control
- To apply stopping skills accurately in a game situation
Key Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate at least two different ways to stop a rolling ball with their hands
- Students will show improved ready position and ball tracking during partner activities
- Students will successfully apply stopping skills in the Racing Rounders game
Equipment & Resources Required
Distributed around activity areas
Alternative: Tennis balls, foam balls, bean bags
For gates and base marking in games
Alternative: Markers, spot markers, playground chalk
To identify teams in Racing Rounders
Alternative: Different coloured equipment, team cards
Key Vocabulary
Using our hands and body to prevent the ball from rolling past us
Standing on balls of feet with hands prepared to receive the ball
Watching the ball carefully with our eyes from start to finish
A technique where we use our legs and body as a wall behind our hands
Sending the ball directly to where our partner can easily stop it
Skill Progression Pathway
Understanding where pupils are coming from and where they're going
Prior Learning
- Basic ball handling and rolling from previous lessons
- Understanding of personal space and movement
- Simple partner cooperation skills
Current Skills
- Stopping rolling balls with hands
- Ready position and ball tracking
- Long barrier technique introduction
- Accurate rolling to targets
Next Steps
- Catching balls at different heights
- Combining stopping and sending skills in games
- More complex fielding techniques
Milestone Indicators
Key Teaching Points
- Ready position is crucial - on balls of feet, slight knee bend, hands prepared
- Eyes must track the ball from sender to receiver throughout
- Hands reach forward to meet the ball, don't wait for it to arrive
- Long barrier provides backup safety - hands first, body as barrier behind
- Gentle, accurate rolling helps partners succeed and builds team success
- Encourage effort and improvement, not just successful stops
- Connect learning to real sports where stopping skills matter
Common Misconceptions
- Students think they should wait for ball to reach them rather than moving hands to meet it
- Belief that hard/fast rolling is better - emphasise control and accuracy
- Assumption that long barrier means using leg instead of hands - clarify it's a backup system
- Thinking that looking away briefly doesn't matter - stress continuous ball tracking
- Misconception that only successful stops matter - celebrate good technique even if ball escapes
SEN Adaptations
ADHD
- Shorter activity segments, clear physical boundaries, regular positive feedback, movement breaks incorporated
dyspraxia
- Slower ball speeds, larger balls, extra practice time, step-by-step instruction breakdown, visual cues for positioning
autism spectrum
- Clear visual schedule of activities, consistent routines, quiet practice space if needed, advance warning of transitions
visual impairment
- Use bright coloured balls, sound-making balls if available, verbal descriptions of ball position, tactile guidance for long barrier position
hearing impairment
- Clear visual demonstrations, use hand signals for start/stop, written instruction cards, peer buddy system
physical disability
- Seated stopping practice, larger target areas, modified long barrier from chair, adapted equipment as needed
Cross-Curricular Links
English
Following multi-step instructions, using descriptive vocabulary (gentle, accurate, ready)
Maths
Counting successful stops, measuring distances between cones, shapes (pentagon in game)
Science
Forces needed to stop moving objects, gravity affecting ball movement, balance and stability
PSHE
Taking turns, encouraging others, resilience when making mistakes, teamwork
Teacher Guidance
Positioning
Move around groups during practice, central position for demonstrations and instructions
Observation Focus
Watch for ready position, ball tracking with eyes, safe long barrier technique
Intervention Points
Step in if students not taking turns, unsafe practice, or losing focus
Demonstration Notes
Use slow, exaggerated movements for ready position and long barrier. Show mistakes and corrections clearly.
Verbal Cues
- •'Ready position!'
- •'Detective eyes on the ball!'
- •'Hands forward to meet the ball!'
- •'Gentle rolling to help your partner!'
Safety Considerations
Space & Surface Requirements
Space Requirements
Indoor hall minimum 15m x 20m or outdoor playground area of similar size
Surface Check
Non-slip surface, free from obstacles, suitable for kneeling during long barrier practice
Equipment Safety
Safety Checks
- •Check balls are not over-inflated
- •Ensure cones have no sharp edges or cracks
- •Beanbags properly filled with no tears
Risk Management
Key Risks
- •Collisions between students during movement
- •Slips when moving to stop balls
- •Minor impacts from balls
Risk Mitigation
- •Clear spacing between pairs and groups
- •Gentle rolling only, no hard throwing
- •Walking pace in games, no running
- •Teach proper kneeling technique for long barrier
Supervision & Emergency Procedures
Supervision Points
- •Position to observe all groups during games
- •Monitor for correct techniques to prevent injury
- •Watch for students who may need additional support
Emergency Procedures
Stop activity immediately if injury occurs, appropriate first aid, rest and assess before continuation