Cricket is hailed as a religion in India. Pass through any street and you would not fail to find kids competing in a fierce game of cricket, even with the barest of amenities. Right from stadiums and large playgrounds, to almost any available nook and corner of the neighbourhood street, it’s game time for some cricket. It is a game followed by Indians of all ages; however, it is an equally good idea to engage the kids in the game of cricket for all the developmental and fun elements it can deliver.
This blog talks about certain simplified variations of cricket which young kids can engage in.
- Mini Cricket
- Catch the ball
- Balancing the Ball
- Be your bowler
- Hit it far
- Your other side
- Bowling machines
- Cricket video games
- Cricket Toy games
Young kids may not be able to enjoy a full-throttle game in a normal-sized playground with standard equipment. This is where a miniaturised and equally fun version of cricket can come to the rescue. A game of mini cricket can be enjoyed even within the confines of our living room, or porch area of the house. All you need is an appropriate-sized bat for the kids and a plastic or rubber ball, or even a tennis ball can do. Under-arm bowling is usually the norm. Scoring rules can be applied based on the shape and size of the arena you are playing in.
Also Read: Kids’ Indoor Softball Tossing Games
One of the players acts as a batter, one as a thrower, and the rest of the players become fielders. The thrower throws an easy ball which the batter hits as high in the air as possible. The catchers need to run and catch the ball. This could be a fun game enhancing hand-eye coordination and spatial mapping skills for the catchers.
How long can you balance the ball while tapping it with your bat and keeping it from falling to the ground? Can you do it a hundred times? A fun game which kids can enjoy with a simple bat and ball. This will help kids in enhancing their balance, and their hand-eye coordination. It also helps in enhancing their game of cricket as they learn how to make sure the ball hits the sweet spot on their bats.
A game every 90s kid would have enjoyed at home. What if you have a bat and a ball but it’s too late to go out and play with your friends? No worries. Why not bowl to yourself? You must be wondering how. Find an empty wall, throw the ball to the wall and be ready to face as the ball rebounds from the wall and comes to you at great speed. A great way to enjoy and hone your cricketing skills even when all alone.
Also Read: Virtual Reality Sports Games
We all love the towering sixes MS Dhoni used to hit. Do you think you can hit as far? A fun game to be played among kids where the competition is purely on how long a hit one can hit. The one who hits the longest six wins.
Another fun variation of cricket is where each player plays with their non-dominant side. This means that if you are a right-handed batter, in this game you bat left-handed. The same applies to bowling. A fun-filled comedy of errors, and on occasions, hidden talents get unearthed. Try it. It is great fun.
Bowling machine simulations have become quite popular these days. Go to any prominent mall in town and you will find these setups. You can enjoy facing a Jaspreet Bumrah 150 kmph delivery and know how it feels in real life. Caution is to be exercised as in most cases these setups have the standard leather balls that come at great speed. The thrill one gets is all real though.
Also Read: Fun Games For Kindergarteners
There is no shortage of video games to capture the passion Indians demonstrate for cricket. If playgrounds are not accessible, enjoy a game of cricket on your smartphones or personal computers. An array of cricket-based simulation games is available. These games come close to mimicking real players, their mannerisms and even their playing styles. Just go to your smartphone’s app store and search “cricket” and you will be exposed to hundreds of cricket-based games you can engage your kids into.
There are ample physical toy-based miniature games that kids can enjoy if they’re yet too young to engage in a larger version of the game. Such toy games try to bring in as much fun element of the actual game while making it playable for young kids. You can find numerous such toy games in any sports store or any of the popular e-commerce platforms such as Amazon or Flipkart. These toy games could be a fun and simplified way to introduce your kid to the fabulous game of cricket.
The game of cricket has immense possibilities and you can innovate and customise it to the way it best suits your requirements. Even fantasy cricket games have become an in-thing these days, however advised to be played under adult supervision. The variations of the physical game are truly the advisable way to go till the time your kid is not grown enough to engage in the full-format game. For example, hand cricket – played with a soft ball and your hand acting as the bat!
Sports is an integral element of student life in the EuroSchool campus and cricket is synonymous with sports as far as India goes. While we boast state-of-the-art facilities, our students often engage in innovative versions of cricket to make the most out of a beautiful game.
