Day at the Fair Movement Story
The class spends a day at the fair and rides every attraction with their bodies: carousel, Ferris wheel, roller coaster, trampolines and bumper cars with no bumping. It works on turns, jumps, level changes and spatial awareness.
How to play
- Everyone in a circle. The teacher says the fair is in town and we buy tickets with 10 quick claps (30 sec).
- Carousel: walk in a circle going up and down like carousel horses (tiptoes, then crouched) and switch direction on a clap (1 min).
- Ferris wheel: in place, make big arm circles, reaching down to touch the ground and up to the sky, 8 times (1 min).
- Roller coaster: free jog around the court; "Going up" means a slow tiptoe walk and "Going down" means a slightly faster run with arms up (1 min 30 sec).
- Trampolines: jumps in place with feet together, feet apart and a half turn, in sets of 8 (1 min).
- No-bump bumper cars: holding an imaginary steering wheel, drive around the court avoiding everyone; if someone gets close, brake and honk (1 min 30 sec).
- Leaving the fair: walk slowly while eating imaginary cotton candy (30 sec).
Rules
- No bumping in bumper cars: you win by not touching anyone.
- Turn slowly so nobody gets dizzy.
- On the roller coaster, everyone goes the same direction.
- On a loud clap, everyone stops.
Variations
Easier
Drop the turns from the jumps and walk the roller coaster.
Standard
Ride all six attractions as the teacher tells the story.
Harder
In bumper cars, the teacher shrinks the space with a hand signal every 30 seconds.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: does the Ferris wheel and steering with the arms and drives at their own pace in a wide lane.
- Hearing impairment: show each ride with a gesture that stays up while it lasts.
- Fitness level: on the trampolines, students who want more challenge jump higher or do a full turn.
Learning goals
- Explore turns, jumps and level changes with control.
- Move through general space without bumping.
- Warm up the body in a fun way before the main activity.
Teacher tip
Stress that the bumper car challenge is not touching; if contact happens, drop the speed to a walk. Keep turns short with six-year-olds.
PatioLab has "Day at the Fair Movement Story" and 3999 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
More activities like this
More warm-ups for Elementary
Across-the-Floor Gymnastics Steps
A gymnastics warm-up where students travel across the gym on the diagonal in small waves, using basic steps: tiptoe walk, side gallop, chassé, grapevine, and scissor…
Action Verbs and Adverbs Warm-Up
The teacher calls an action verb and students act it out in their spot; then an adverb is added that changes how it is done, like "row slowly" or "climb sneakily." It…
Active Blind Man's Bluff
A dynamic version of Blind Man's Bluff in which a guide uses only their voice to lead a blindfolded partner to tag classmates moving inside a small area.
Active Corners
Each corner of the space is marked with a cone and an exercise; the teacher calls a corner and students run to it to complete the exercise.
Add-On Dance Circle
In circles of 6, students take turns adding a four-count move, and the group repeats the whole sequence from the beginning with music, building a dance together.
Agility Ladder to the Beat
Quick-feet drills on the agility ladder following the beat of the music: every foot strike lands on a beat, and when the song's tempo goes up, the feet speed up.