Half-Term Netball: 10 Garden Games and Drills for 1, 2 or a Whole Group

Half-term netball: the quick answer

The best half-term netball games for the garden are ones you can play with whoever is home. Solo shooting circuits work for one player, shadow-defending and give-and-go games suit two, and relays and piggy-in-the-middle work for a group. All you need is one adjustable netball post, a ball and a patch of lawn or patio.

The clocks go back on Sunday 25 October, so the light goes by early evening all week. Half an hour after lunch is often the best window. The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend children and young people average at least 60 minutes of activity a day across the week, and two 30-minute netball sessions get there.

Every game below is set out as a card, so you can pick by who is playing:

•           Players: how many you need

•           Set-up: what to lay out

•           How to play: the rules in a few lines

•           Easier / harder: how to adjust it for age or skill

•           Builds: the netball skill it trains

Before you start: post height, ball and space

Set the post to the player, not the rulebook. A full-size netball post stands at 3.05m (10ft) with a 38cm ring, under World Netball's equipment rules. Younger players score more and learn better technique on a lower ring.

High 5 is the junior format played in primary schools. School Games High 5 formats lower the posts to 2.74m and use a size 4 ball. Our netball post height guide has the full age-by-age breakdown.

Space. Most games need a patch about 4m by 4m in front of the post. A lawn is softer for landing, and a patio gives a truer bounce for passing games.

Safety. Weigh the base down properly, keep younger children clear of the base when it is being moved, and check the height lock is tight before every session. After rain, wipe the ball dry so it doesn't slip out of small hands.

Netball games for one player

Solo games are the easiest to fit into a half-term day, because they need nobody else. These four train shooting and footwork, the two skills that improve fastest with repetition.

1. Around the World

•           Players: 1 (or take turns)

•           Set-up: five spots in an arc about 1.5m from the post: left, left-diagonal, straight on, right-diagonal, right. A stone, a sock or chalk marks each one.

•           How to play: shoot from spot 1. Score and you move to the next spot; miss and you stay. Time how long it takes to get round and back.

•           Easier: move the spots closer, or allow two attempts per spot.

•           Harder: push the arc back to 2.5m, or go back to the start on any miss.

•           Builds: shooting from different angles, as a goal shooter or goal attack must in a match.

2. Wall Pass Ladder

•           Players: 1

•           Set-up: a solid garden wall or fence panel, and a line 2m away.

•           How to play: throw 10 chest passes at the wall and catch each one cleanly. Then 10 bounce passes, then 10 shoulder passes. A drop sends you back to the start of that pass type.

•           Easier: stand at 1.5m and use a bigger target, such as a chalk square.

•           Harder: step back to 3m, or catch one-handed.

•           Builds: passing accuracy and soft hands.

3. Three-Second Shot

•           Players: 1

•           Set-up: stand 1m from the post with the ball on the ground.

•           How to play: pick up the ball, take a jump-stop landing, and shoot before you can count three. In a real game, a player must pass or shoot within three seconds, so this drill builds the habit. Score out of 10.

•           Easier: count three slowly, out loud.

•           Harder: start with a self-feed bounce, so you have to catch, land and shoot.

•           Builds: decision speed and a balanced shooting position.

4. Land, Pivot, Shoot

•           Players: 1

•           Set-up: three spots 2m from the post, each facing away from it.

•           How to play: throw the ball up a little, catch it and land on one foot. Pivot on that landing foot to face the post and shoot. The landing foot must stay put until the ball leaves your hands, because lifting and re-grounding it is a footwork fault.

•           Easier: land on two feet first, then pivot.

•           Harder: make it a race: three pivots and shots against a timer.

•           Builds: the footwork rule, which trips up most new players.

Netball games for two players

With two players you can add a defender or a feeder, which is how netball is actually played. These three suit a parent and child or two siblings.

5. Shadow Defender

•           Players: 2 (a shooter and a defender)

•           Set-up: the shooter stands 1.5m from the post with the ball.

•           How to play: the defender stands an arm's length away with arms up, trying to put the shooter off without touching. The shooter gets five shots, then you swap. Most goals wins.

•           Easier: the defender keeps their arms at shoulder height.

•           Harder: the defender can move side to side, so the shooter has to adjust their aim.

•           Builds: shooting under pressure and fair defending, without contact.

6. Give and Go

•           Players: 2 (a feeder and a shooter)

•           Set-up: the feeder stands 3m out to one side of the post; the shooter starts 3m out on the other side.

•           How to play: the shooter sprints towards the post, calls for the ball and receives a pass from the feeder. They land, then shoot. Ten attempts each, then swap.

•           Easier: walk instead of sprint, and use bounce passes.

•           Harder: the feeder holds the ball until the shooter makes a sharp change of direction.

•           Builds: timing your movement to receive a pass, the core of attacking play.

7. Rebound Race

•           Players: 2

•           Set-up: both players stand 1m from the post, one on each side.

•           How to play: one player shoots. Whether it goes in or not, both race to catch the ball before it bounces twice. The player who gets it shoots next. First to five goals wins.

•           Easier: allow three bounces before the ball counts as dead.

•           Harder: the rebounder must shoot from where they caught it, without stepping.

•           Builds: reading the ball off the ring, a key job for goal keepers and shooters.

Netball games for a whole group

When cousins or friends come round, these games keep three or more players busy with one post and one ball.

8. Piggy in the Middle, Netball Style

•           Players: 3 or more

•           Set-up: two passers stand 4m apart, with the "piggy" between them.

•           How to play: the passers try to complete passes while the piggy tries to intercept. Passers can't hold the ball for more than three seconds, and can't walk with it. An interception swaps the piggy with the passer who threw it.

•           Easier: passers stand closer and can use any pass.

•           Harder: after five completed passes, the receiver must shoot at the post to score a point.

•           Builds: passing into space, and interception timing for defenders.

9. Shoot-Out Relay

•           Players: 4 or more, in two teams

•           Set-up: both teams queue 3m from the post, side by side.

•           How to play: the first player in each team runs in, shoots and keeps shooting until they score. Then they pass the ball back to the next player and join the end of the queue. The first team where everyone has scored wins.

•           Easier: younger players can shoot from 1m.

•           Harder: each player must make two passes before they shoot.

•           Builds: shooting when tired and under time pressure, like the final quarter of a match.

10. Points Zones

•           Players: 3 or more, taking turns

•           Set-up: chalk or rope marks three zones around the post: 1 point (under 1.5m), 2 points (1.5–2.5m) and 3 points (over 2.5m).

•           How to play: each player has five shots per round and picks which zone to shoot from each time. Highest total after three rounds wins.

•           Easier: give younger players a head start of 5 points.

•           Harder: a miss from the 3-point zone costs a point.

•           Builds: shot choice, and knowing your own range.

A half-term netball plan, Monday to Friday

Thirty minutes a day, one focus a day, and a mini tournament on Friday. Most English and Welsh schools are off from Monday 26 to Friday 30 October, so the plan follows that week.

Keep a simple score sheet on the fridge. Writing down Monday's Around the World time and beating it on Friday gives children a clear target for the week.

The kit you need

One adjustable post covers every game in this guide, from an under-9 at 2.4m to a teenager at full height. Prices were checked on 19 October 2026.

All four use a 38cm ring and come with a net. You'll also need a netball: size 4 for under-11s, size 5 from 11.

For younger brothers and sisters who want to join in, the Target Toss Game is a soft-ball throwing game that works on the same patch of lawn.

Not sure which post suits your space? Our guide to portable netball posts compares bases, wheels and set-up.

Netball half-term FAQs

What netball drills can I do on my own at home?

Around the World, the Wall Pass Ladder, the Three-Second Shot and Land, Pivot, Shoot all work solo. Between them they cover shooting, passing and footwork, and each takes about 10 minutes.

What height should a netball post be for a 10-year-old?

Around 2.74m (9ft), the height used in High 5 junior netball. Most children move up to the full 3.05m from about age 12. An adjustable post lets you raise it as they grow.

What size netball should children use?

A size 4 ball suits most children under 11, and a size 5 is the standard match ball from 11 upwards. A smaller ball is easier to grip and shoot with small hands.

Can you practise netball without a post?

Yes. Passing and footwork games, like the Wall Pass Ladder and piggy-in-the-middle, need only a ball and a wall. A post becomes essential once you want to practise shooting, which is the skill most children want to improve.

How much exercise should children get during half term?

The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend an average of at least 60 minutes of activity a day across the week for 5 to 18-year-olds. Two 30-minute netball sessions a day meets that.

Can netball be played on grass?

Yes, though the ball won't bounce well, so swap bounce passes for chest and shoulder passes. Grass is softer to land on, which suits younger players learning to jump-stop.

How many players do you need for a game of netball at home?

One is enough for shooting drills. Two lets you add a defender or feeder, and three or more opens up passing games and relays. Full netball is played seven-a-side, but nobody needs that in the garden.

The bottom line

Half term is a good week to build a shooting habit, and a little practice every day beats one long session. Pick games by who is home: solo circuits on quiet days, shadow defending when a parent is free, relays when friends visit. Set the ring to the player's height, play in the daylight hours, and finish the week with Friday's mini tournament.

If you don't have a post yet, the Freestanding Adjustable Netball Post starts at 2.25m for younger players and rises to full height as they grow. Browse the full netball range, or check our netball post height guide to set yours up correctly.