Hockey

hockey lessons & Resources

Lesson: Nashville Predators Fitness Challenge

Grade(s): K-5

Skills: Dribbling, Passing, and shooting a hockey ball; Stick handling

Description: Students will work in small groups to practice dribbling and passing in open space. Students will practice shooting on a goal from a stationary position.

nashville predators fitness challenge

Lesson: Color Sorting Floor Hockey

Grade(s): K-2

Skills: stick handling (manipulative) skills and hockey dribbling.

Description: Students will have to use the skills of hockey dribbling and stick handling to retrieve as many of their team's balls (based off color). All the balls will be in the center of the activity area and students can only retrieve one ball at a time. Students must dribble the ball back to their team's hoop and cone. A second round can be played where students are having to do this against a defender.

skill based hockey floor games

pirate floor hockey

This activity is an excellent hockey activity to practice stick handling and dribbling. Start by giving every student a puck (treasure/gold) and a hockey stick. Then have a few students put their pucks away so they can be the pirates. The pirate’s job is to try to “steal” a puck from someone who has one. If a pirate steals a puck, he/she gets to keep it and the person who lost it is now a pirate. The goal is to end the game without becoming a pirate. Again, have them use a hockey puck, then a coated-foam ball, and then a whiffle ball. Checkout this video example from Traci Behnke!

floor hockey knockout

This activity comes from the popular basketball dribbling activity called Dribble Knockout. To start, give every student in class a hockey stick and a puck. On the signal, students have to keep control of their puck and try to knock someone else’s puck away. If they knock someone else’s puck away, that student has to do an exercise to return to the game. Or you can have the winner do an exercise to celebrate his/her win. This video from Traci Behnke gives a great example.
I hope your students enjoy these activities as much as my students do.

gates & gatekeepers

Gates is a great activity for floor hockey stick handling skills, especially dribbling skills. First, place 10 to 15 sets of cones scattered throughout the gymnasium creating hockey goals. Second, hand each student a hockey stick. Third, set a time limit and challenge the students to see how many gates they can dribble their puck through during a predetermined time. Have them use hockey pucks, then coated-foam balls, and then whiffle balls. Check out a video example by Craig Bleess!
Gate Keepers is an extension of Gates. Keep the setup the same, but now have half of the class become goalies and protect the gates (goals). Set a time limited and allow them to see how many goals they can make until the time is up. Then have the students switch roles. Again, start with hockey pucks, then coated-foam balls, and then whiffle balls. Check out a video example by Craig Bleess!

"m" floor hockey

This hockey activity is a fantastic way to have students practice their puck dribbling, striking, and passing skills. First, set-up 4 M formations using poly spots. I usually have one M formation set up in each quadrant of my gym. Then divide your class into 4 equal groups. Have the students work through the M shaped pattern on the gym floor using their hockey passing skills. The students will pass and then follow their pass to the next poly spot. It will take 4 passes until they get to the end of the M shaped formation. When this happens, they will attempt a shot on the goal at the end of the pattern. Checkout this video example from Tim Misavage!