Footprints on the Snowy Mountain
A movement story about a winter hike: we bundle up, trudge through deep snow lifting our knees high, follow animal tracks, slide down the slope and play with paper snowballs. Kids work on gross motor coordination and different ways of moving.
How to play
- Getting ready for the hike: we pretend to put on coats, hats, scarves, mittens and boots (2 min).
- The snow is really deep: we walk all around the room lifting our knees high and sinking our feet (3 min).
- We find fox tracks (paper sheets on the floor): we follow them, stepping only on the white paper (3 min).
- We reach the top and come down the slope on the wedge mat: sitting, lying down or rolling like a snowball (4 min).
- There's fresh snow at the bottom: we toss paper snowballs up in the air, catch them and throw them far, never at faces (3 min).
- We head back to the cabin freezing, sit down and rub our hands by the fire (1 min).
Rules
- I follow the tracks, stepping only on the paper.
- I go down the slope when the child before me has reached the bottom.
- Snowballs go up to the sky or down to the ground, never at faces.
- I listen to the story to know what's next.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, the tracks are close together and they slide down sitting, with the teacher beside them.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, zigzag tracks and any way down they like (sitting, lying or rolling).
Harder
For 5-year-olds, tracks of two animals (fox on one foot, rabbit with feet together) and a log roll down the slope.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: does the hike in the wheelchair, following the tracks with the wheels; at the slope, throws snowballs from the bottom.
- Visual impairment: rubber or thick cardboard tracks they can feel underfoot, plus a hiking buddy.
- Autism: a card showing the hike stages (bundle up, snow, tracks, slope, snowballs, cabin).
Learning goals
- Move in different ways to match an imagined terrain.
- Match steps to marks on the floor.
- Slide and roll down a slope with control.
Equipment for a class of 25
- White paper sheets: 30
- Wedge mat: 1
- Mats: 3
- White paper balls: 40
Teacher tip
Tape the paper sheets down with a bit of tape so nobody slips. Some wind sounds in the background and a shivery "Brrr, it's cold!" put the kids on the mountain in a second.
PatioLab has "Footprints on the Snowy Mountain" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
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