Far Away I Call, Up Close I Whisper
In pairs, children move apart and come back together across the playground calling each other's name: the farther away, the louder, and the closer, the softer, ending with a whisper in the ear. They practice linking distance to loudness and controlling their voice.
How to play
- The teacher sets three rows of cones: close, middle, and far. Partners start face to face at the close cones (1 min).
- Whisper "hello" in each other's ear; then step back to the middle cones and call each other in a normal voice (2 min).
- Go to the far cones and call each other in a big voice (but not a screechy one), waving your arms (2 min).
- Walk slowly back toward each other while your voice gets softer and softer, down to a final whisper (3 min).
- Reverse it: on the signal, take small steps apart as your voice gets louder (2 min).
- End with a secret: each child whispers something nice about their partner (2 min).
Rules
- Far away, a big but friendly voice; up close, a soft voice.
- In someone's ear we always whisper, never shout.
- Walk toward your partner without bumping into others.
Variations
Easier
Age 3: just close and far, and the teacher shows volume with a hand moving up or down.
Standard
Age 4: all three distances, getting louder and softer as they move.
Harder
Age 5: instead of voices, they use claps that get louder or softer with distance.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: stays at the middle cone while their partner moves away and comes back.
- Hearing impairment: use an arm gesture too (big when far, small when close), and face each other when speaking.
- Autism: the far-away greeting can be just waving, and the whisper can happen without getting too close.
Learning goals
- Link distance with how loud a sound is.
- Control voice volume.
- Move while keeping track of distance from a partner.
Equipment for a class of 25
- conos: 24
Teacher tip
Practice "big but friendly" before going outside, because kids tend to shriek as they move apart. Pick a quiet corner of the playground with no other group nearby so partners can hear each other.
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