Firefighters With Rope Hoses
Kids are firefighters who carry their rope hose to the fire, unroll it, put out the cones by shaking it and roll it back up. Kids practice handling a rope, moving around and pretend play.
How to play
- Each firefighter gets a coiled rope; the teacher shows how to coil it around a bent arm and uncoil it (3 min).
- The fire truck is off: we run with our coiled hose to the area where the cone fires are (2 min).
- We uncoil the hose, hold one end and shake the other near the cone, making water waves: "Shhhh!" (3 min).
- In pairs, one holds the end and the other the middle, and we put out farther fires without letting the hose touch the ground (3 min).
- We go back to the firehouse (the hoops), coil the hose and put it away (3 min).
Rules
- The hose shakes along the ground, never toward friends.
- I never put the rope around my neck or tie it to anyone.
- I run with my hose coiled so I don't trip.
- When the fire is out, I say "Fire's out!"
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, the teacher hands out ropes already uncoiled and kids just drag and shake them; the teacher coils them with the kids.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, kids coil with help and put out fires alone and in pairs.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, kids coil on their own and the fires are behind small obstacles they must go around without snagging the hose.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the child is fire chief on the truck, calling which fire to put out, or shakes the hose from their wheelchair.
- Visual impairment: the cone fires have jingle bells and a classmate guides the child.
- Less skilled: use a shorter, thicker rope that's easier to coil.
Learning goals
- Coil, uncoil and shake a rope.
- Move around while carrying an object.
- Cooperate in pairs on a task.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Jump ropes: 25
- Cones: 10
- Hoops: 4
Teacher tip
Teach coiling around the bent forearm like a ball of yarn, not around the hand. Leave space between fires so the hoses don't cross.
PatioLab has "Firefighters With Rope Hoses" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
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