A Forest Walk of Calm Poses
As the teacher tells the story of a walk in the forest, children take on calm poses of what they meet along the way: the mountain, the tree, the butterfly, the stretching dog, the snake and the sleeping rock. It works on balance, flexibility and body awareness at an unhurried pace.
How to play
- Sit on the mats with soft music while the teacher announces a trip to the forest without leaving the classroom (1 min).
- First we see a mountain: stand tall, feet together, arms at our sides; then a tree: one foot resting on the other ankle and arms up like branches (3 min).
- A butterfly lands in the grass: sitting, press the soles of your feet together and flap your knees slowly like wings (2 min).
- A dog wakes up and stretches: hands and feet on the floor, bottom up high; then a snake comes out of its hole: lying on your tummy, lift your chest with your hands (3 min).
- Go through the whole walk again without stopping, linking the poses to the story (2 min).
- At the end of the forest there's a sleeping rock: curl up into a little ball on your knees and rest (1 min).
Rules
- Everyone stays on their own mat or spot.
- Poses are slow and never hurt.
- If I fall out of my tree, I laugh and start again.
- I listen to the story to know what's next.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, just mountain, butterfly, dog and rock, and the tree with the foot on the floor.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, all the poses as described.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, after the walk, groups of four invent a new pose for a forest animal and teach it to the class.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: a chair version of each pose (tree with the arms, butterfly flapping arms, snake stretching the back).
- Hearing loss: each pose has a picture card the teacher holds up when naming it.
- Autism: give them the sequence of cards before starting so they know the order of the walk.
Learning goals
- Hold simple poses with balance.
- Stretch the body gently.
- Follow a sequence of movements from a story.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Mats: 6
- Music
Teacher tip
Model each pose first and hold it only a few seconds; at this age repeating beats holding long. The tree is the hardest: let them touch a finger to the wall if they need to.
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