Lobster Trap

I just tried this warm-up for the first time recently. Saw it here (complete with video) and frankly had very low expectations. I envisioned a lot of poor tosses, clanking racquets, frustrated kids, overall a hot mess. But I liked the name, liked the concept, so I took it for a test drive. Happy to report I was completely wrong and my students (6- and 7- year-olds) performed admirably. We were using the red low compression balls (not foam). Sure there were some misses, but they enjoyed it anyway.

If you haven't seen the video above, it's simple. Two players face each other a few feet apart. One player has two racquets (their 'lobster claws'). The other has a ball. Player with ball gently tosses ball underhand to player with racquets.  Second player must trap ball between the two racquets. Ball should bounce before being caught, but some students can catch it in the air - your call.

I had them start on the same side of the court. Five chances then switch roles. Soon they mastered this so I put them across the net from each other. They enjoyed it so much I had to cut them off so we could get to the rest of the lesson. Two thumbs (or claws?) up!

Hint: I did have to remind them to stand farther back to give them a better chance at trapping the ball by running forward rather than letting it get behind them.
2nd Hint: some of my younger students (5s) did not know what a lobster was. So we had a brief educational conversation about sea creatures before continuing our activity.