Rockets 🚀
🚀 Rockets
🎯 A progressive accuracy and power game focused on low-to-high swing, coordination, and distance hitting.
📹 Watch Demo
⏱️ Time: 5–10 mins
🎤 Coach Script / Setup:
"Today we’re building ROCKETS! 🚀 We’re going to launch our tennis balls over the top and see how far our rockets can fly!"
Each parent/child pair builds a rocket using:
3 or 4 traffic cones stacked into a pyramid
Optionally place a football or round cone on top for extra height
About 50cm in front, place a round cone or hitting tee as the launch pad.
Place the Football on the cone (launchpad), or tennis ball on hitting tee then whack it with a backward to forward/ low-to-high swing towards rocket.
Once successful, move the launch cone another 50cm back.
Repeat until the child can no longer hit the rocket. See who can get the furthest back.
👉 Encourage them to shout “BLAST OFF!” each time 🚀
🪶 Feathers (Simplify for Younger Children):
• Just build tower and let little ones smash down with rackets
Use a larger ball (e.g., foam or football) for easier contact
• Move the cone closer (30cm away instead of 50cm)
• Allow rolling or gentle tosses over the rocket instead of hitting
• Use a beanbag on the cone to slow things down
• Let children hit or throw with two hands
⚡ Progressions (Challenge for Older or Confident Children):
• Increase the rocket height (add more cones or balls on top)
• Use drop feed instead of tee: drop the ball and hit it over
• Try hitting backhand rockets
• Introduce a distance leaderboard — who got furthest?
• Add a “Double Rocket” where they must hit over two towers side by side
🎾 Coaching Tips:
• Emphasise low-to-high swing path (like lifting the ball up) • Keep non-dominant hand out to stay balanced
• Help children adjust foot position – side-on stance • Praise for effort and creativity – encourage them to shout and celebrate their rocket launch
seasonal variations pack for the “🚀 Rockets” game — each themed version keeps the core structure but adds fun storytelling and slight tweaks to props or language.
🎄 Christmas – Santa’s Launch Station
Santa’s sleigh is stuck! Build a launch tower using stacked chimneys (cones) with a snowball (foam ball) or Christmas pudding on top. See how far the sleigh (ball) can fly over the rooftops as children move further back each time. Add a “Ho Ho Ho!” countdown before each launch.
🐣 Easter – Bunny Egg Launch
Stack pastel cones to make a bunny burrow tower. Place a chocolate egg (or round cone/ball) on top and try to launch it over an imaginary hedge or fence. Encourage kids to shout “Hop and Launch!” before each shot. See how far each bunny can get their egg.
🎃 Halloween – Witch’s Potion Launch
Stack bubbling cauldrons (black/orange cones) and place a spooky ingredient (green or purple ball) on top. Kids are little witches and wizards, launching ingredients into the sky to complete their potion. Add sound effects like “ZAP!” and let them cackle as they whack.
❤️ Valentine’s Day – Heart Rocket Delivery
Kids are launching love letters or hearts (red balls) over a “wall of shyness” (cones stacked like a barrier). Build heart towers with pink cones and send messages to their “Valentine’s Mailbox” far away. Bonus: Decorate a cone with heart stickers.
👩👧 Mother’s Day – Flower Delivery Rockets
Build a flower tower with yellow/orange cones and place a "flower" (beanbag or ball) on top. Children launch flowers towards a special “Mum’s Garden” zone. Add a flower sticker to the ball or let children say “This one’s for Mum!” before launching.
👨👦 Father’s Day – Toolbox Rocket Challenge
Use blue or grey cones to build a tower that looks like a toolbox. Kids launch a "screw" or "bolt" (ball) over a tall cone wall to “fix the roof.” Encourage children to shout “For Dad!” and see who can send their item furthest.