Can I Fit Through This Door?

Around the classroom there are doors of all sizes made from hoops, chairs, tables and cloths, and children look at each one before going through to decide whether to walk, crouch or crawl. They practice judging the size of openings relative to their own bodies.

How to play

1. The teacher sets up doors of different sizes: a cloth between two tall chairs, a gap under a table, hoops held upright and a tunnel of chairs (1 min).
2. We visit each door and look at it: "Is it big or small? Can I walk through, or do I need to crouch?" (2 min).
3. We wander freely through all the doors, choosing how to get through based on their size (4 min).
4. The teacher names a big or small animal and we can only use the doors that fit it: the elephant uses big doors, the mouse uses small ones (4 min).
5. In pairs, one child holds a hoop at any height and the other decides how to go through; then they switch (2 min).
6. We take the doors down together (1 min).

Rules

• Look at the door before you go through.
• One at a time through each door.
• Go through without knocking the doors down.

Variations

Adaptations

• Child who uses a wheelchair: some doors are wide and tall enough for the chair, and others they reach through with an arm.
• Child with low vision: feels the door frame before going through to judge its size.
• Child who dislikes enclosed spaces: only doors open at the top, no tunnels.

Learning goals

• Judge the size of an opening relative to their body.
• Adjust posture to get through.
• Move through a space with obstacles.

Equipment for a class of 25

• aros: 6
• sillas: 8
• mesas: 2
• telas: 2

Teacher tip

Secure chairs and tables so they can't tip and remove any sharp corners. The usual problem is everyone heading for the same door: set up several of each size.

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