Afternoon at the Playground with Grandpa

After school, children go to the playground with Grandpa and recreate the playground with their bodies and gear: slide, partner swing, seesaw, sandbox and bridge. It builds balance, swinging and sharing play with turns.

How to play

1. Leave school and walk to the playground holding a classmate’s hand, who plays Grandpa or Grandma, crossing carefully (2 min).
2. The slide: climb up one side of the foam wedge and slide down sitting onto the mat (3 min).
3. The swing: in pairs, holding hands face to face, rock forward and back with feet planted (2 min).
4. The seesaw: in pairs, holding hands, one squats down while the other rises, up and down (2 min).
5. Sandbox and bridge: crawl around building sandcastles in the sandbox (hoops) and cross a rope bridge on the floor with arms out (3 min).
6. Snack on the bench: sit down, eat a pretend sandwich and walk home slowly (3 min).

Rules

• We go down the slide sitting, one at a time.
• On the swing and seesaw, we hold on tight and go slowly.
• I wait my turn in line.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: two adults help on the slide, or swap it for a gentle roll on the mat; the swing becomes rocking the trunk.
• Autism: photos of the playground activities in order.
• Visual impairment: the “grandparent” buddy guides by the hand the whole way.

Learning goals

• Keep balance when rocking and sliding.
• Take turns in shared play.
• Link classroom play with the neighborhood playground.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Mats: 3
• Hoops: 6
• Foam wedge: 1
• Ropes: 3

Teacher tip

Brace the wedge against a wall with mats at the bottom. Rotate who plays the grandparent and talk about who takes each child to the park, without assuming who picks up whom.

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