Busy Bee Partner Moves

Partner game where the teacher calls two body parts to touch, and on 'Busy bee!' everyone flies off to find a new partner using the called movement. Students practice body awareness, locomotor skills and getting along with the whole class.

How to play

1. Students stand in pairs spread around the space. Place a hoop in the middle: the hive.
2. Call two body parts, such as 'Elbow to elbow!' or 'Back to back!', and partners gently touch them. Give three or four calls in a row.
3. On 'Busy bee!', everyone lets go and flies using the movement set by the drum: slow beats, tiptoe; fast beats, gallop; a drumroll, two-foot jumps.
4. When the drum stops, everyone finds a new partner. Anyone without a partner goes to the hive, where they always find someone; with an odd number, make a trio.
5. After 6 minutes, combine parts ('hand to knee,' 'foot to foot and hand to shoulder') and let some students be the queen bee who gives the calls.

Rules

• Touch body parts gently, no pushing.
• No repeating the same partner twice in a row.
• Nobody refuses a classmate who picks them.
• Fly looking forward to avoid collisions.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: partners come to the wheelchair and use reachable parts such as hands or elbows.
• Deaf or hard of hearing: point to the body part on yourself as you call it.
• Fitness level: between partners, very active students use harder movements such as hopping.

Learning goals

• Identify and name body parts.
• Adjust locomotor skills to the rhythm of the drum.
• Partner respectfully with any classmate.

Equipment for a class of 25

• hand drum: 1
• hoops: 1

Teacher tip

Avoid face-to-face or private body part calls and start with the easiest ones. The hive in the middle removes the fear of being left out.

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