Laundry BASEketball

My siblings and I used to love playing a game called BASEketball, where you take turns shooting a basketball into a hoop from different distances (inspired by the film of the same name).

Our children aren’t quite ready for a full-size hoop yet, so we’ve adapted it to Laundry BASEketball instead.

How to try it:

• Place a laundry basket at roughly child head height.

• On the floor in front of it, lay out four evenly spaced pieces of paper labelled 1, 2, 3, and H (H = home run, worth 4 points).

• 1 should be closest to the basket, followed by 2, then 3, with H the furthest away.

• Get a ball (rolled up socks work too).

• OPTION 1: Free play

  • Take turns shooting from any base and see who can score.

• OPTION 2: Team game

  • Everyone plays on the same team.

  • Take turns trying to throw the ball into the basket.

  • Before each throw, choose which base you’re shooting from.

  • If you score, add the points for that base to the team total.

  • The aim is to reach 11 points in as few throws as possible.

  • The total number of throws you take becomes the score to beat next time you play.

• OPTION 3: Competition

  • Play against each other.

  • Take turns choosing a base and taking your shot.

  • If you get it in, you score the points assigned to that base.

  • First player to 7 points wins.

  • Children score double points against adults.