Clothespins Hiding on My Clothes
In pairs, one child clips clothespins to their sleeves, pants and back, and the partner finds and removes them with a finger pinch while the first child changes positions (crouching, lying down, on one side). It combines finger strength with body awareness and helping a partner.
How to play
- The teacher shows how to open a clothespin with thumb and pointer finger and where it can go: sleeves, pants, socks and shirt hem, never on skin or hair (2 min).
- Each child takes three clothespins from the basket and clips them to their own clothes in places they can see (2 min).
- In pairs: one freezes like a statue while the other removes the clothespins and clips them on their own clothes; then switch (2 min).
- Now the child wearing the clothespins changes position (lying on the tummy, sitting, on hands and knees) and the partner has to find them (2 min).
- Hidden clothespins: the partner clips some on the child's back; the child guesses how many and reaches back to take them off (2 min).
- All the clothespins go back to the basket, carried one at a time on tiptoe (2 min).
Rules
- Clothespins go on clothes, never on skin or hair.
- Ask before you clip one on your partner.
- When your partner says “Stop,” you stop.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, use soft plastic clothespins, on sleeves only, with no position changes.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, clip them on different parts of the clothes and add position changes.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, the teacher says where each clothespin goes (“on your left leg”) and the partner removes them with the opposite hand.
Adaptations
- Weaker fingers: use very soft clothespins or open them with the whole hand.
- Tactile sensitivity or autism: the child can always be the remover rather than the one wearing the clothespins.
- Visual impairment: the child feels for the clothespins on the partner's clothes, with permission, and counts them out loud.
Learning goals
- Strengthen the finger pinch.
- Identify parts of one's own and a partner's body.
- Take care of a partner and ask permission.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Large clothespins: 75
- Baskets: 3
Teacher tip
Use large clothespins with a gentle spring and no loose parts; check them beforehand. Teach “Stop” as the golden rule: this game is a great way to talk about respecting other people's bodies.
PatioLab has "Clothespins Hiding on My Clothes" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
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