Doggy Day Care 🐶

A themed movement & coordination game where children look after “dogs” (tennis balls) and guide them safely to their kennels.

🌟 Story / Theme

“Today you’re all dog handlers at the Doggy Day Care Centre!
Your job is to take the dogs (tennis balls) out of their pen, take them for a little walk, and put them safely to bed in the right kennel!”

Kids LOVE this theme — simple, imaginative and perfect for indoor sessions.

🎯 Objective

• Improve racket control (leading, pushing, guiding)
• Build agility and spatial awareness
• Develop colour matching skills
• Encourage turn-taking, responsibility, and teamwork

🧩 Setup

1. Dog Pen (Start Area)

• Create a circle of traffic cones
• Place a mix of coloured tennis balls inside (these are the “dogs”)

2. Walking Track

• Make a larger circle using flat circular cones
• This is where children “walk” their dogs using their rackets like leads

3. Dog Kennels (Finish Area)

• Place upturned plastic tubs, each with a coloured cone or marker
• The colour MUST match one of the dog colours
• Spread kennels around the edge of the space

Environment Notes

• Works best indoors (balls stay controllable)
• If outside → use harder balls so they don’t get stuck on grass

🎤 Coach Script / How to Play

“Welcome to Doggy Day Care!
Inside this pen we have lots of dogs waiting for a walk.
One at a time, you’ll choose a dog, take it for a gentle walk around the circle…
…and then put it safely to bed in the matching kennel!”

▶️ How It Runs

1. Children line up or stand ready around the pen

2. One at a time, each child:
    • Steps into the pen
    • Chooses a coloured tennis ball (“dog”)
    • Uses their racket as a lead to guide it around the circular track/ or they can get behind and push the doggies using their rackets
    • Finishes by placing the dog into the matching coloured kennel

3. Return to the start

4. Next child goes

5. Continue until all dogs are walked and put to bed

🐾 Teaching Points

• Racket out in front → gentle guiding
• Slow, small touches → don’t let the dog escape
• Watch the ball while moving
• Keep control on corners
• Big finish: drop the dog gently into the correct tub

🪶 Feathers (Make It Easier)

• Use bigger balls (foam or playground balls)
• Shorten the walking track
• Allow children to use two hands on the racket
• Partner or parent walks beside the child
• Remove colour-matching and let them choose any kennel

🔺 Progressions (Harder)

• Two dogs at once (two balls!)
• Must walk the dog twice before bedtime
• Add mini obstacles (cones to weave around)
• Timed challenge: “How many dogs can your team walk in 2 minutes?”
• Carry a second ball under their arm (multi-tasking “dog trainer mode”)