Castle Guards With Their Spears

Children are castle guards who, with pool-noodle spears, stand at attention while the king walks by, balance the spear flat on their palms, and hold on one foot. It works on whole-body static balance and balancing a long object in the hands.

How to play

1. Each guard gets a spear and stands at attention: spear upright on the floor next to the body (2 min).
2. The king (the teacher) walks by and the guards stay still, barely blinking (2 min).
3. The spear goes flat across both open palms, without grabbing it, and we stay still (3 min).
4. One-foot guard: first with the spear resting on the ground like a walking stick, then with the spear flat on the palms (3 min).
5. Changing of the guard: I pass my spear to the guard next to me without leaving my spot (2 min).
6. The guards finish their shift and put the spears in the bin (1 min).

Rules

• The spear is for holding, not for hitting.
• When the king walks by, the guards don't move.
• If I drop my spear, I pick it up and go back to my post.
• Every guard has a post, apart from the others.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the guard holds the spear flat across the knees or palms from the chair.
• Visual impairment: use a noodle with a bell at one end so they can hear if it tips.
• Less skilled children: a shorter spear (half a noodle) is easier to balance.

Learning goals

• Hold static balance with and without support from an object.
• Balance a long object on the hands.
• Respect turns and other people's space.

Equipment for a class of 25

• pool noodles: 25

Teacher tip

Cut the noodles to the children's height so they don't stick out too far. Make it clear from the start that the spear never touches anyone; if someone uses it as a sword, it becomes a walking stick resting on the ground for a while.

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