Fixing the Broken Spaceship
The class spaceship has crashed on a faraway planet and the pieces scattered everywhere must be brought back to rebuild it inside its outline on the floor. It practices carrying objects in different ways and cooperating toward a shared goal.
How to play
- Show the spaceship outline taped on the floor and tell the story: “Boom! The ship crashed and the pieces flew all over the planet” (1 min).
- Explore the planet: walk around looking for pieces (blocks) and touch them without picking them up so we know where they are (2 min).
- Collect small pieces one at a time and carry them to the ship balanced on your head, on your back while crawling, or hugged to your chest (4 min).
- The big pieces are heavy: carry them in twos or threes, each holding one side and walking together (3 min).
- Place the pieces inside the outline, add hoops as windows and scarves as engine flames (3 min).
- Everyone climbs into the repaired ship, counts down and blasts off for home (2 min).
Rules
- Every piece that reaches the ship belongs to everyone.
- Carry pieces, don't throw or kick them.
- If a piece is heavy, ask a friend for help.
- Inside the ship we only add pieces, we don't take them away.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, carry all pieces in your hands and the teacher helps place them inside the outline.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, carry small pieces in different ways and big pieces in pairs.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, the outline has colored zones and each piece goes in its color; big pieces are carried by three children without hands (squeezed between their bodies).
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the child is the engineer who receives the pieces inside the ship and decides where they go.
- Autism: give a clear, repeated job (carry only one color of piece) and a fixed route to the ship.
- Visual impairment: carry big pieces with a guiding partner; small pieces are nearby and found by following the teacher's voice.
Learning goals
- Carry objects with different body parts.
- Coordinate with others to carry a large object.
- Work together to reach a shared goal.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Foam blocks: 20
- Masking tape: 1
- Hoops: 4
- Scarves: 6
Teacher tip
No foam blocks? Cardboard boxes or cushions work. At the end, take a photo of the ship: they love seeing it and it's a great way to talk about what each child did.
PatioLab has "Fixing the Broken Spaceship" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
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