Cloud Watching from the Grass

Lying on their backs on the park grass, children watch the clouds and tree leaves, breathe slowly and look for shapes. It helps them relax and calm down after playing.

How to play

1. Find a clean patch of grass and lie on your back, each child with their own space, without looking straight at the sun (1 min).
2. Put your hands on your tummy and breathe like clouds: air comes in and your tummy goes up, air goes out and your tummy goes down (1 min).
3. Look at the sky: 'Do you see a cloud that looks like an animal? Is it moving fast or slow?' and follow it with your eyes (2 min).
4. Close your eyes and listen to the park: birds, leaves, children far away (1 min).
5. Roll onto your side, sit up slowly and stand like a cloud floating up (1 min).

Rules

• Everyone in their own spot without touching anyone.
• We talk softly, like the wind.
• We never look straight at the sun.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a child in a wheelchair reclines or lies on a blanket with help and does the same breathing.
• Visual impairment: instead of clouds, the child notices sun and shade on their face and the breeze on their skin.
• Autism: if they don't want to lie in the grass, they can sit next to the teacher and look at the sky.

Learning goals

• Relax the body after activity.
• Control breathing on purpose.
• Enjoy the calm of a natural setting.

Teacher tip

If the grass is damp or has ants, use a big blanket or sit on it. In strong sun, lie under a tree and look at the leaves instead of the clouds.

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