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Field card 147

The cardboard giant target throw

A big box and rolled socks make a target game. Then five minutes on what scares them, and one small brave step for this week.

Dad Field Manual editors · Drafted with AI help · Published Oct 15, 2026

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Time
45 min
Cost
$0
Ages
4 to 10
Where
Hallway, living room or yard

01What you need

  • A big cardboard box or flattened box, the taller the betterFree
  • A thick marker, and scissors or a box cutter for DadHave
  • Five beanbags, rolled socks or soft foam balls per playerHave
  • Painter's tape or three sticks for throwing linesHave
  • Paper and pencil for the scoreHave

Where: About 12 feet of clear floor or grass, with the target against a wall or fence and nothing breakable behind it.

Before you start

  • Soft things only. Beanbags, socks or foam. No balls, rocks or toys with hard edges, indoors or out.
  • Dad does any cutting. A box cutter is a grown-up tool; kids draw and color.
  • One thrower at a time. Everyone else stands behind the line, and nobody fetches until the round ends.
  • Clear the backstop. Put the target against a wall or fence, away from windows, lamps, the TV and doorways.

02Steps

  1. Draw the giant

    TogetherStand the box up and let your kid draw a giant on it, as tall and silly as they want. Then you draw the point zones with the marker: a big body worth 1, a shield worth 2, a helmet worth 3. If you're up for it, cut a fist-size hole in the middle for 5.

  2. Set the three lines

    DadTape or lay sticks at about three, five and seven big steps from the giant. Kids throw from whichever line they choose; you throw from the back one. Say the rule once: "Throw from behind the line, then wait till the round is over to pick up."

  3. Play three rounds

    TogetherFive throws each per round, underhand or overhand. Add up points out loud and write them down. After each round a player can move back a line for double points, or stay where they are. Their call, no pressure.

  4. Talk about the scary part

    DadSit down with the giant in front of you. Ask: "Was it scary to step back a line? What made you do it, or not?" Then: "Is there anything bigger that feels like a giant right now?" Listen. Don't tease or fix it. Say: "Lots of kids feel that way. It's okay to be scared."

  5. Pick one small brave step

    KidHelp them name one small step toward the scary thing, not the whole thing: raise a hand once, say hi to one new kid, sleep with the door half closed. Write it on the back of the giant.

  6. Final throw for the brave step

    KidOne last throw from any line they pick, for the brave step. Leave the giant up for a few days so you can ask, "Did you do it?" and play again when they do.

03If it stalls

  • If they don't want to talk, play another round and ask again at bedtime. The game still counts on its own.
  • If the scary thing is big, like a move or a sick grandparent, keep it to listening tonight and come back to it.
  • If they miss over and over, move the line up to two steps and make the helmet bigger.
  • If siblings argue about points, the kid not throwing keeps score and you swap every turn.

04Variations

Ages 4–5

One line, two steps away, and every hit on the giant is a point. The talk is one question: "What's something that feels scary?"

Ages 6–8

The full plan. Let them design the point zones and set the line distances.

Ages 9–10

Throw with the off hand for one round, and let them run the scoring. For the talk, ask what they'd tell a younger kid who was scared of the same thing.

RainBring the giant inside to a hallway and use socks only.
WindyWeigh the box down with a backpack inside it, or lean it against the fence.

Tried this? Tell us how it went

2 minutes
How did it go?

1 = it flopped · 5 = we'd do it again

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05Optional story

David and the giant1 Samuel 17 · 5 min

Two armies were camped on two hills with a valley between them. Every day a giant soldier named Goliath walked out and shouted for someone to come fight him. All the soldiers on the other side were scared, even the king.

David was the youngest boy in his family. He took care of his father's sheep, and he had only come to the camp to bring food to his big brothers. He heard the giant and said he would go. The king tried to put his own armor on David, but it was too big and heavy, so David took it off. He told the king why he wasn't afraid:

"The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine." 1 Samuel 17:37 (KJV)

David picked five smooth stones from a stream, walked out with his sling, and with one stone the giant fell.

Ask after the game: David was small, and everyone expected him to lose. What helped him be brave? Who's with you when you do something scary?

Plain-language retelling. Quote from the King James Version (public domain).

06Sources

  • How to respond to a child's fears. The AAP advises talking with your child about their fears and being sympathetic, not making light of them, especially in front of other kids, and not pressuring a child into being brave; moving past fears takes time and works in gradual steps. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) Checked Oct 15, 2026
  • How much kids should move. CDC says children 3 to 5 should be physically active throughout the day, and children 6 to 17 need 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous activity each day. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Checked Oct 15, 2026

Filed under: Indoor & Rainy Day · Faith (optional) · Emotions & Hard Conversations

Dad Field Manual · Field card 147 · Indoor & Rainy Day

The cardboard giant target throw

A big box and rolled socks make a target game. Then five minutes on what scares them, and one small brave step for this week.

Time
45 min
Cost
$0
Ages
4 to 10
Where
Hallway, living room or yard

What you need

  • A big cardboard box or flattened box, the taller the better
  • A thick marker, and scissors or a box cutter for Dad
  • Five beanbags, rolled socks or soft foam balls per player
  • Painter's tape or three sticks for throwing lines
  • Paper and pencil for the score

Before you start

  • Soft things only. Beanbags, socks or foam. No balls, rocks or toys with hard edges, indoors or out.
  • Dad does any cutting. A box cutter is a grown-up tool; kids draw and color.
  • One thrower at a time. Everyone else stands behind the line, and nobody fetches until the round ends.
  • Clear the backstop. Put the target against a wall or fence, away from windows, lamps, the TV and doorways.

Steps

  1. Draw the giant. Kid draws a giant on the box. Dad marks zones: body 1, shield 2, helmet 3, a cut-out hole 5.
  2. Set the three lines. Mark lines at about three, five and seven big steps. Throw from behind a line; fetch only after the round.
  3. Play three rounds. Play three rounds of five throws. After each round, a player may step back a line for double points.
  4. Talk about the scary part. Ask what felt scary about stepping back, then what feels like a giant in real life. Listen without teasing.
  5. Pick one small brave step. Name one small step toward the scary thing this week and write it on the back of the giant.
  6. Final throw for the brave step. One last throw for the brave step. Leave the giant up and check in on the step in a few days.

If it stalls

  • If they don't want to talk, play another round and ask again at bedtime. The game still counts on its own.
  • If the scary thing is big, like a move or a sick grandparent, keep it to listening tonight and come back to it.
Points per round · brave step
Signed off: can do this.Signed by Date

dadfieldmanual.com/plans/target-throw-courage · Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention