Pinpoints and needles
You’ll need
- Masking tape
- Pens or pencils
- Paper plates
- A4 paper
- Hula hoops
- Soft balls
Before you begin
- Lay eight hula hoops in a large circle. These will be the points of the compass, so you should make sure they’re evenly spaced. If you don’t have hoops, you could use chalk or masking tape.
- Label the ‘north’ and ‘south’ hoops with an ‘N’ and a ‘S’ using masking tape (or chalk).
- Mark a throwing line a few metres behind the south hula hoop.
Learn and practice the points
- The person leading the game should ask if anyone can remember the four points of the compass (north, east, south, and west). People might have sayings (such as ‘never eat soggy wheat’) to help them remember.
- The person leading the game should help everyone understand that people can give a more precise direction by using the eight points of a compass. These go between each of the four points, and are simply named after the points either side (northeast, southeast, southwest, northwest).
- The person leading the game should stand in (or point to) one of the hoops. Everyone should call out the compass point the hoop represents. The person leading the game should move between hoops until everyone is confident with the eight compass points.
Play the game
- Split into two teams, and give each team a soft ball.
- Each team should line up behind the throwing line. The person at the front of each line should hold one of the balls.
- The person leading the game should call out one of the eight compass points.
- The players at the front of each line should throw their ball into the hoop that represents the compass point the person leading the game said.
- If they get it in the right hoop, their team scores one point. Someone should keep note of the scores – it could be the person leading the game, or a trustworthy member of each team.
- Once they’ve thrown the ball, the first person should collect it, give it to the second player, and go to the back of the line.
- The person leading the game should keep calling out compass points, until everyone’s had at least two turns.
- Make sure you call a variety of points all around the compass.
- The team with the most points is the winner.
Reflection
This activity helped you to develop skills. Now you know the eight compass points. They’re the most important directions in geography – why do you think this is? Have you ever used these directions to guide someone – or has anyone guided you with these directions? Apart from navigating, when else do we use these directions (for example, to talk about wind)?
This activity was also a change to be a team player. Did you encourage your teammates in this game? How did they help you? Did you have a leader, or did everyone help lead?
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
You must run your activities in line with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card) and report any concerns to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.
- It’s up to you whether teams are allowed to confer – are people allowed to help the person with the ball know which hoop to aim for?
- Write letters giving hints in as many of the hoops as you like – you could remove the letters as people get more confident.
- Make it more challenging by only having one point up for grabs each round – only the first ball to land in the right hoop gets a point.
- Add an extra challenge by blindfolding the player who will throw, and asking them to stand in the middle of their compass. Their team should direct them to face in the right direction before they throw.
- Play the game on a smaller scale, with cups and counters (for example, coins or Tiddlywinks).
Make it accessible
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
