Netball Games for Kids

Netball games allow children to hone their skills without the pressure of competition. Simple games to play on the netball court are effective for reinforcing the techniques and rules of the game, making them good choices for coaches. Incorporating netball games into practice sessions offers a chance to practice in fun and interesting ways. With the many netball games available, kids have many opportunities to play and learn.

High 5

High 5 is a netball game developed for children ages 9 to 11 and helps increase excitement and participation in the sport. This netball game is also a good way to introduce the game to beginners. To play, each team has five to nine players, with five on the court at a time. A player must pass the ball within four seconds of the whistle and follow traditional netball rules regarding footwork. The difference with High 5 is that after each quarter half, players rotate. This gives each the opportunity to play all netball positions. The players who aren't on the court keep score and play the part of pass marker. England Netball recommends using a number 4 netball for this game.

Shooting Shuttle

The netball game of shooting shuttle is a fast-paced way to help children practice shooting skills. To set the game up, mark a starting line and three additional lines, progressively further from the hoop. Assign each a point value. For example, the closest line is worth one point, the middle worth two and the third is worth three points. Mark the lines with gymnasium tape or cones. To play, have the kids form a single file line. Each player chooses which line she wants to shoot from and takes three shots to rack up as many points as possible. After the third shot, the player runs to the back of the line, passes the ball to the last person in line, who continues to pass until the ball reaches the front of the line. Play continues until each player has had a turn. Keep track of points earned with pencil and paper.

Islands

Islands is a netball game that is fun and fast but teaches many skills at the same time. To play, create several islands on the gymnasium floor by marking them with cones. Pair your team into groups of two. Some of the players are passers and others are catchers. Each group of passers needs a netball. One passer must get the ball to her partner. Once successful, the passers run to the next island, trying to avoid being tagged by the catchers. Catchers can't touch the ball but must eliminate passers by tagging them as they run between islands. The object is to get to each island without being tagged out.

Niteball

Play netball at night to reinforce skills and have some fun with the sport. To play, line each hoop with glow sticks. Each player wears a glow bracelet. Choose two colors and have each team of children wear one color. This helps the children recognize teammates in the dark. To play, turn off the lights and follow traditional rules of netball. The first team to get 10 points is the winner.