«Al Pasar la Barca»: Hoop Boats Across the River

Hoops on the ground are boats crossing a chalk river. While singing the traditional Spanish song «Al pasar la barca» («As the boat went by»), we jump from boat to boat counting like the boatman, and pay for the ride with a dance instead of money. It works on accurate jumping and counting.

How to play

1. Draw two riverbanks with chalk and set the hoops in between in a few rows of boats (2 min).
2. Cross walking and stepping inside each boat while singing (2 min).
3. Now cross jumping feet together from hoop to hoop, counting each jump out loud like the boatman (3 min).
4. On the other bank, the teacher-boatman says «no money here!» and everyone pays with a dance, a spin or a bow (2 min).
5. Boats for two: cross holding hands with a buddy, each in a row of hoops, jumping at the same time (3 min).
6. Tie up the boats: everyone sits inside a hoop and breathes, rocked by the river (2 min).

Rules

• Jump inside the hoop, not on the edge.
• Wait until the boat ahead is empty.
• Count your jumps out loud.
• The boatman gets paid in dances, never in pushes.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a lane of more widely spaced hoops, rolling the wheelchair through or beside each one.
• Visual impairment: hoops along a guide rope on the ground and a buddy who calls «jump.»
• Less coordination: hoops closer together or big chalk squares.

Learning goals

• Jump accurately into a marked space.
• Connect jumps with numbers.
• Learn the traditional boat song game.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Hula hoops: 20
• Sidewalk chalk: 4

Teacher tip

In the traditional game the line is «pretty girls don't pay»; here we change it so nobody pays and everybody dances. Tape the hoops down with a bit of tape if the ground is slippery.

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