Bat Cave Explorers Movement Story

A team of cave explorers heads into a cave: they duck under low ceilings, jump puddles, climb rocks and hide from bats. It works on level changes, varied locomotor moves and quiet body control.

How to play

1. Everyone spreads out. Put on your helmet and switch on your imaginary headlamp by slowly turning your head side to side (30 sec).
2. Cave entrance: walk bent over because the ceiling is low, getting lower until you're in a squat walk (1 min).
3. Narrow passage: side steps with your back against an imaginary wall and your belly sucked in (1 min).
4. Puddles: jump imaginary puddles on one foot and two feet, changing direction (1 min).
5. Rocks: bear-crawl forward and backward to climb, then climb down carefully (1 min).
6. "Bats!": on that word, everyone lies face down with hands over the head, silent for 5 seconds; mix it in 4 times (1 min).
7. Out into daylight: stand up, shade your eyes from the sun and reach for the sky (1 min 30 sec).

Rules

• Inside the cave, talk only in whispers.
• When dropping for bats, find an open spot.
• Move without touching classmates, as if it were dark.
• Land jumps with bent knees.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: changes levels with trunk and arms and covers the head for bats.
• Hearing impairment: give the bat alert by flapping open hands.
• Fitness level: students who want more challenge jump the puddles farther.

Learning goals

• Change levels with control while traveling.
• Stay quiet and calm during an active game.
• Explore ways of moving through imaginary spaces.

Teacher tip

Lower your voice as you tell the cave story and the class will lower theirs. If the floor is cold or dirty, have students crouch for bats instead of lying down.

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