Animal Moves Warm-Up Game

This imaginative warm-up game is perfect for kids 10 and under. By mimicking animal movements, players build agility, coordination, and balance while having fun. It encourages creativity, keeps young players engaged, and gets them moving in a playful way before practice begins.

Setup

• Designated safe area on the court or nearby space
• Coach and players positioned inside the area
• Foam or low-pressure balls optional for added play later
• Designated safe area on the court or nearby space
• Coach and players positioned inside the area
• Foam or low-pressure balls optional for added play later
• Designated safe area on the court or nearby space
• Coach and players positioned inside the area
• Foam or low-pressure balls optional for added play later

Rules & Objectives

• Players move freely around the designated area
• Coach calls out an animal (e.g., kangaroo, frog, horse, bear, turtle, eagle, elephant, hummingbird, spider)
• Players mimic the movements of that animal (e.g., hopping like a frog, stomping like an elephant, crawling like a bear)
• Continue changing animals every 15–30 seconds
• Optionally, let players take turns calling out animals for the group to mimic
• Players move freely around the designated area
• Coach calls out an animal (e.g., kangaroo, frog, horse, bear, turtle, eagle, elephant, hummingbird, spider)
• Players mimic the movements of that animal (e.g., hopping like a frog, stomping like an elephant, crawling like a bear)
• Continue changing animals every 15–30 seconds
• Optionally, let players take turns calling out animals for the group to mimic
• Players move freely around the designated area
• Coach calls out an animal (e.g., kangaroo, frog, horse, bear, turtle, eagle, elephant, hummingbird, spider)
• Players mimic the movements of that animal (e.g., hopping like a frog, stomping like an elephant, crawling like a bear)
• Continue changing animals every 15–30 seconds
• Optionally, let players take turns calling out animals for the group to mimic
• Players move freely around the designated area
• Coach calls out an animal (e.g., kangaroo, frog, horse, bear, turtle, eagle, elephant, hummingbird, spider)
• Players mimic the movements of that animal (e.g., hopping like a frog, stomping like an elephant, crawling like a bear)
• Continue changing animals every 15–30 seconds
• Optionally, let players take turns calling out animals for the group to mimic
• Players move freely around the designated area
• Coach calls out an animal (e.g., kangaroo, frog, horse, bear, turtle, eagle, elephant, hummingbird, spider)
• Players mimic the movements of that animal (e.g., hopping like a frog, stomping like an elephant, crawling like a bear)
• Continue changing animals every 15–30 seconds
• Optionally, let players take turns calling out animals for the group to mimic

Repetition

• Run multiple 2–3 minute rounds with different animals each time
• Add a race element: last one to switch to the new animal sits out
• Incorporate tennis skills (e.g., kangaroo jumps holding racket, eagle arms while side-shuffling)
• Use it as a warm-up, cool-down, or fun break between drills
• Run multiple 2–3 minute rounds with different animals each time
• Add a race element: last one to switch to the new animal sits out
• Incorporate tennis skills (e.g., kangaroo jumps holding racket, eagle arms while side-shuffling)
• Use it as a warm-up, cool-down, or fun break between drills
• Run multiple 2–3 minute rounds with different animals each time
• Add a race element: last one to switch to the new animal sits out
• Incorporate tennis skills (e.g., kangaroo jumps holding racket, eagle arms while side-shuffling)
• Use it as a warm-up, cool-down, or fun break between drills
• Run multiple 2–3 minute rounds with different animals each time
• Add a race element: last one to switch to the new animal sits out
• Incorporate tennis skills (e.g., kangaroo jumps holding racket, eagle arms while side-shuffling)
• Use it as a warm-up, cool-down, or fun break between drills

Coaching Points

• Improves agility, balance, and coordination
• Encourages imagination and creativity
• Builds group energy and excitement at the start of practice
• Keeps kids engaged through playful movement
• Improves agility, balance, and coordination
• Encourages imagination and creativity
• Builds group energy and excitement at the start of practice
• Keeps kids engaged through playful movement
• Improves agility, balance, and coordination
• Encourages imagination and creativity
• Builds group energy and excitement at the start of practice
• Keeps kids engaged through playful movement
• Improves agility, balance, and coordination
• Encourages imagination and creativity
• Builds group energy and excitement at the start of practice
• Keeps kids engaged through playful movement

Drill Tutorial