Let's get active and try Scatter!
This activity is suitable for children in Early learning and childcare (ELC) or Primary 1 (Early level Curriculum for Excellence).
Watch this
Learn how to take part in the Scatter activity with help from primary school teacher, Danny Denholm and wheelchair athlete, Gemma Lumsdaine.
DANNY: Hey, I'm Danny. And welcome to Let's Do This, where we will get active together.
This activity is called Scatter. This game is great for developing your speed and agility. This means we are going to be thinking about moving quickly and with balance.
You will need balls or socks, a bucket or a hoop.
I've got wheelchair rugby athlete, Gemma here to help show you.
GEMMA: Hello!
DANNY: Step one, scatter several balls or socks or whatever you can get your hands on all around the playing area.
Step two, the aim here is to collect all the items and place them back into a bucket as quickly as possible.
Let's do this!
It's like when my mum asks me to clean my room.
NARRATOR: Too tough?
DANNY: Try scattering the balls closer together or in a smaller area.
GEMMA: If you want, you can try using two buckets to collect. These can be put in two different places so you don't have to move so far making it easier.
NARRATOR: Go up a notch?
DANNY: If you are feeling really ambitious add more balls and scatter them further apart.
NARRATOR: Gemma's challenge.
GEMMA: For my challenge, try to get quicker each time you do the task.
Can you beat yourself? Could you pick up the socks in 30 seconds?
NARRATOR: Final thoughts.
DANNY: This is a great activity if you like moving around a lot. Why not try this again by putting dirty clothes in the washing basket?
Let's do this!
What we will learn:
This activity can help young children develop their speed and agility.
It is a great activity to help children practise moving quickly and in a more controlled way in daily life and sport.
What you need:
| Equipment | Alternatives |
|---|---|
| 20 balls | Any small items that are easy to collect and tidy away, like balled-up socks or soft toys |
| Bucket | Any container that you can collect items in, like a hoop or box |
Try it yourself
Follow these step-by-step instructions and give it a go!

Image caption, Scatter
Scatter around 20 balls or similar items in a small area.

Image caption, Collect a ball
Pick up one of the balls and place it in the bucket

Image caption, Repeat
Repeat until you’ve picked up all the balls.
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Playing with a friend
- Divide the playing area in half to create two zones.
- Instead of putting your items into a bucket, drop them into the other player's zone.
- Ask someone to time you for either 30 seconds or a minute.
- At the end of the time, the player with the fewest items in their zone is the winner.
Make it easier or harder
We are all unique and have different strengths and skills. Some of us may find some skills easier than others but we can all develop and improve.
You can adapt Scatter to make it easier or harder. The most important things are giving it a go and having fun!
Make it easier
Try these tips to make the activity a bit easier.
- Scatter the balls closer together or in a smaller area.
- Try using two buckets to collect. They can be placed in two areas so you don’t have to move as far.
Make it harder
Try these tips to make this activity more challenging.
- Add more balls.
- Scatter the balls even further apart.
Gemma's challenge
Ask someone to time you when completing the Scatter challenge and try to get a faster time each time you do the task.
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