3 Fun and Engaging Jackie Robinson Activities
Looking for 3 really fun and engaging Jackie Robinson activities? You’ve come to right place. If you are reading this blog post in the month of April, then you might know that there is a special day this month that celebrates the amazing accomplishments of Jackie Robinson. Do you know what day I’m talking about?
This special day is on April 15th. On this day, we honor Jackie Robinson because this was the day he made his major league baseball debut. It was opening day and his very first season in the major leagues. And still to this day, every player wears his uniform number (42) in his honor.
So I’m so glad you’re here looking for Jackie Robinson activities to help celebrate this special moment in his life. Not only am I going to give you activities for Jackie Robinson, but I’m also going to tell you exactly how to do these activities step-by-step. Are you ready?
Jackie Robinson Activity #1: Storytelling & Sequencing Game
Step 1: Decide whether or not you want to physically play baseball outside or create a baseball field Activity Board. My favorite online design tool that I like to use to create all my games and resources is Canva. It’s free for educators to use. Check it out here.
Step 2: On your Baseball Field Activity Board, you will want to have at least home plate, 1st base, 2nd base, and 3rd base. All the rest is optional such as outfield, pitcher mound etc.
Step 3: Print out your activity boards or have your students or children play online.
Step 4: If you decide to physically play the game outside, the children will move around the bases. If you decide to print out an activity game board, you will want to have player pieces that the children can move around the bases.
Rules of the Game:
1. Each child can play this with a partner or small group. You can play the game just like a real baseball game except there is no outs.
2. After reading a book, the goal of the game is to retell the most important events that happen in the story.
3. The child steps up to the plate or moves their player piece to bat. They tell their peers the name of the book they read, author, and why they would or would not recommend reading the book.
4. The pitcher throws the ball (if you are playing a real baseball game outside).
5. The player at bat tries to hit the ball. In order to run to first base, they have to retell an important event or part.
6. If they can’t remember any other parts in the story, they must stay on the last base they landed on.
7. To make it all the way around the bases and back to home plate, they must retell at least 4 important events in a row.
8. Once 3 players have batted, then it’s time for the other team to bat.
Jackie Robinson Activity #2: Black History-Opoly Game
Step 1: Research questions you would like to ask about Jackie Robinson’s life to add to your game board. Make sure you grab some dice and player tokens.
Step 2: Decide where you are going to design your monopoly board. I used Canva to create the board you see to the left or above.
Step 3: Choose dollar amounts for each rectangle and what is going to go in each corner of the board. Here’s what I choose for the corner spaces based on Jackie Robinson’s life:
* Free Space = Free Sidewalk because many people walked to see Jackie play in the Major Leagues
* Jail Space = U.S. Army
* Go to Jail Space = Go Serve in the U.S. Army
* Go Space = I just kept it the same as the real monopoly game
Next, you will want to create Chance Cards & Clue Cards based on Jackie Robinson’s life.
CHANCE CARDS: Just like in the real Monopoly game — These are cards with instructions to be followed by a player whose token lands on a “chance” space, usually affording them some chance opportunity or inflicting upon them some chance misfortune.
CLUE CARDS: Gives children a clue to help them answer a question on the game board.
Of course, your students or children will need dollar bills to play the Jackie Robinson Black History-Opoly game.
Every time they get a question correct, they can collect the amount of money on that space.
Also when they pass GO, they can collect money.
And if they land on the Free Sidewalk space, they can collect money.
So, decide which dollar bills you want to include in your game ($5, $10, $20, $50, $100).
How to Play Game
1. Make sure the Chance and Clue cards have been shuffled well. Put them face down on the game board.
2. Choose someone to be the banker. They’re in charge of: the bank’s money, paying players when they pass GO, and collecting bills.
3. Give each player a designated amount of money to start.
4. You can have the youngest player go first if you want.
5. They roll both dice.
6. Move your token clockwise around the board that number of spaces.
7. Wherever they land, they must answer the question on that board space.
8. Roll a double? Roll and move again. If you roll three doubles in a row, go to the U.S. Army immediately. That’s it! Your turn is over. The player to your left goes next.
9. Anytime someone pays a fee or tax, put the money in the middle of the board. When someone lands on Free Sidewalk, they get that money. If there is no money, they receive $100.
Jackie Robinson Activity #3: Do a Skit Performance or Reader's Theatre
Doing a Jackie Robinson skit or Reader’s Theatre performance is a great way to bring Black History to life for your students or children. There are a lot of things Jackie Robinson accomplished in his lifetime that you could highlight in a skit or reader’s theatre. Let me give you a few ideas from our Jackie Robinson Skit for Secondary Students:
Scene 1: When Jackie and his family moved to California and many kids wanted Jackie to be on their sports teams because he was so good
Scene 2: His high school sports accomplishments
Scene 3: Breaking college records such as the long jump
Scene 4: Meeting and marrying his college sweetheart, Rachel
Scene 5: Jackie Serves His Country in U.S. Army
Scene 6: Jackie Meets Branch Rickey, president of the Dodgers, who wants him to play in the Major Leagues
Scene 7: How he went from the Royals to Dodgers
Scene 8: Opening day and Jackie making history as the first black ballplayer in the major leagues.
If you teach students or children at the secondary level and really want to do a Jackie Robinson skit, look no further. I’ve got one for you. Grab it down below and don’t forget the skit props that go with it.
