«A la Zapatilla por Detrás»: The Slipper Behind Your Back

Sitting in a circle with eyes covered, one child walks around the outside with a slipper singing the traditional Spanish rhyme «A la zapatilla por detrás» («the slipper's behind you») and drops it behind someone. Whoever finds it goes around the circle moving like an animal and then drops it next. It works on listening, waiting for a turn and reacting, with no chasing and nobody out.

How to play

1. Sitting in a circle, learn the rhyme with moves: «look up» (look at the sky), «look down» (at the floor) and «go to sleep» (cover your eyes) (2 min).
2. The teacher walks around the outside and drops the slipper behind a child; on «now!» everyone checks behind them (2 min).
3. Whoever has it goes once around the circle moving like an animal the teacher picks, then becomes the dropper; the last dropper sits in the empty spot (5 min).
4. Use two slippers at once for more turns (2 min).
5. Last round: everyone stands and waddles once around the circle like penguins, then sits (1 min).

Rules

• Cover my eyes, no peeking.
• Don't touch the slipper until I hear «now!»
• We walk around; nobody chases anybody.
• If I've had a turn, I help others get one.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: do the lap in a wheelchair with a buddy, or pass the slipper to the next child.
• Visual impairment: drop the slipper with a little tap on the back so they feel it.
• Autism: they may prefer not to cover their eyes; looking at the middle is fine.

Learning goals

• Stay focused with eyes closed.
• Follow turns and rules in a traditional game.
• Move like animals around the circle.

Equipment for a class of 25

• House slippers: 2

Teacher tip

Keep a mental list of who has gone and quietly steer the slipper toward those who haven't. It's a calm game; for more movement, make the lap two animals long.

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