Dusting Off My Body with a Scarf

Each child uses a scarf like a feather duster to dust off every part of their body, naming each one, and then shakes everything off with jumps. The body wakes up little by little while children review its parts.

How to play

1. Hand each child a scarf and tell them that this morning we got all dusty, so we need to clean up (1 min).
2. Rub your hands, arms and shoulders with the scarf, one side and then the other, saying out loud what you're dusting (1 min).
3. Move down to dust your tummy, legs, knees and feet, bending over nice and slow (1 min).
4. For your back, hold the scarf with both hands behind you and slide it side to side like a towel after bath time (1 min).
5. Shake the scarf hard above your head and jump in place to get rid of all the dust (1 min).

Rules

• Everyone dusts their own body with their own scarf.
• Say out loud the part you're cleaning.
• Wipe your face very gently, or skip it.
• Shake the scarf up high so you don't hit anyone.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child dusts the parts they can reach; feet can be dusted by a classmate, with permission, or by stretching out the scarf.
• Autism or touch sensitivity: let the child choose a soft scarf and allow light rubbing over clothing.
• Hearing impairment: the teacher clearly touches each part on their own body before children dust it.

Learning goals

• Warm up the body with gentle, gradual movements.
• Recognize and name body parts.
• Coordinate both hands while using an object.

Equipment for a class of 25

• fabric scarves: 25

Teacher tip

Have the scarves pulled apart in a basket ahead of time so handing them out is quick. Act out the story (“Oh my, my knees are so dusty!”) and they'll follow along with no extra explanation.

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