Rounders
Year 3

           Teams:

• Rounders is typically played between two teams, with each team consisting of 9 to 15 players.

           Equipment:

• Bat: A rounders bat is a short, cylindrical bat with a maximum length of 18 inches.
• Ball: A leather or rubber ball, although in primary schools a tennis ball is often used.
• Bases: There are four bases arranged in a diamond shape – first base, second base, third base, and home base.

           Playing Field:

• Rounders is played on a circular field with a diameter of approximately 40 to 50 metres. There are usually markers or posts to indicate the bases.

           Innings:

• In rounders, each team has two innings to bat and field. During each inning, the batting team attempts to score as many runs as possible, while the fielding team tries to get the batters out.

           Scoring – to score a run, a batter must:

• Hit the ball and run to first base before the fielding team can recover the ball and touch the base with it.
• Run to the subsequent bases in the correct order (first, second, third, and home) without being tagged out.

           Outs – batters can be put out in several ways:

• Being tagged with the ball while running between bases.
• Hitting a ‘no-ball’ (a bowl outside the designated strike zone).
• Failing to hit a bowled ball.
• Hitting a foul ball (a ball that lands outside the field of play).
• Running out of the baseline (the area between the bases).
• A fielder catching a batted ball before it touches the ground.

           Bowling:

• The bowler stands in the centre of the field and bowls (throws) the ball underhand to the batter.
• The batter must attempt to hit the ball into the field of play.

           Fielding:

• The fielding team tries to prevent the batting team from scoring runs by fielding the ball and tagging or throwing it to a teammate to get the batters/runners out.
• Fielders can also try to get a batter/runner out by touching the base with the ball before the batter/runner reaches it.

           Scoring Runs:

• Runs are scored when batters successfully reach home base after completing a circuit around the bases.
• A run is recorded for each successful circuit.

           Game Duration:

• A standard rounders game is typically played over a set number of innings or for a specified amount of time.
• The team with the most runs at the end of the game wins.

In lower KS2 Rounders lessons, children should continue to develop control of the bat and ball, knowing how to throw and catch over an increasing distance, and hit the ball with the correct technique. Children should improve consistency and accuracy of skills when competing against themselves and against others. PE Planning's Year 3 Rounders lesson plans help children understand rules of the game and discuss tactics in game situations for both striking and fielding.

Rounders lessons play an important role in primary school PE.  They provide opportunities for children to develop a broader range of skills, in particular manipulation skills such as throwing, catching, gathering and intercepting – at speed and with accuracy. Rounders lessons also give children a chance to participate in competitive games, using basic skills and knowledge to make it difficult for the opposition. Primary School Rounders is also great for promoting communication and collaboration between peers and understanding what is needed to improve a performance.

All PE Planning lesson plans are created by PE Specialists and include all the resources required to deliver a complete Unit of Work.  Each lesson plan includes full guidance, including illustrations, and you can choose to download either a quick reference plan or a full lesson plan. Our Year 3 Rounders lesson plans follow the National Curriculum and allow you to deliver fun, engaging and rewarding Rounders lessons to your Year 3 pupils.  Best of all, our Rounders plans are quick and easy to download and follow, making your life easier!