Fabric Mummies Come Unwrapped

In pairs, one child gently wraps a fabric strip around their partner's arms, tummy or legs, turning them into a stiff, slow-walking mummy; on the drum beat, the mummy wriggles free. It builds awareness of body parts, the contrast between stiff and loose, and taking care of each other.

How to play

1. The teacher plays the mummy first: a child wraps the teacher's arm and the teacher moves it stiff as a stick (2 min).
2. In pairs, one child gently wraps their mummy: arms at the sides, tummy or legs, never the head or neck (3 min).
3. Mummies walk stiff and slow around the room going “Ooooh,” without bumping (3 min).
4. On the drum beat, they shake and unwrap themselves until they're free and floppy; then partners switch (2 min).
5. We make a giant mummy of two children wrapped together who walk in step (2 min).

Rules

• Fabric never goes on the head or neck.
• We wrap loosely so the mummy can get out alone.
• Mummies walk slowly and don't push.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: wrap the arms and let the child be a mummy from the wheelchair by moving the trunk.
• Autism: if the fabric is bothersome, the child can be the wrapper or wrap a stuffed animal.
• Visual impairment: the partner says which part they're wrapping, and a tap on the shoulder goes with the drum.

Learning goals

• Recognize and name the wrapped and free body parts.
• Contrast stiff movement with loose movement.
• Take care of a partner's body.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Fabric strips: 25
• Hand drum

Teacher tip

Use long strips of old fabric or wide bandages, never rope. Kids love breaking free, so let them shake it out and then ask them to go floppy like a rag.

More activities like this

More main activities for Elementary