Builders Put On Their Hard Hats
Before heading into the construction site, children dress up as builders and warm up by acting out tools: the hammer, the shovel, the wheelbarrow and the scaffold ladder. Big movements wake up the whole body and set up the construction story.
How to play
- In a circle, put on a pretend hard hat, safety vest and boots by touching head, chest and feet (1 min).
- Hammer: with knees slightly bent, pound the air with one arm, then the other, saying “bang, bang” (1 min).
- Shovel: feet apart, dig down and toss the dirt over one shoulder, then the other (1 min).
- Wheelbarrow: walk all over the space pushing a pretend wheelbarrow; when the teacher calls “Watch out, crane!”, crouch down and freeze (2 min).
- Climb the scaffold ladder in place with high knees and, at the top, everyone shouts “Ready to work!” (1 min).
Rules
- The hammer only hits the air, never a friend.
- When the crane comes, we crouch and stay still.
- Wheelbarrows go into empty spaces, no bumping.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, use only hammer, shovel and wheelbarrow, with the teacher modeling each move alongside them.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, add the ladder and change the wheelbarrow's speed: slow when full, fast when empty.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, a child invents a new tool (a wrench, a paint roller) and everyone copies it.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: in a wheelchair, do the hammer and shovel with the arms and the wheelbarrow by pushing the chair or with help.
- Autism: picture cards of each tool in the order they will come up.
- Hearing loss: signal the crane by also raising one arm like a crane boom.
Learning goals
- Warm up arms, legs and trunk with big movements.
- React to a signal by stopping and crouching.
- Step into the pretend play of the construction site.
Teacher tip
Make the moves big and exaggerated so the shovel looks heavy. The usual mistake is racing with the wheelbarrow: remind them it is full of bricks and needs care.
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