Four Corners Farm
Each corner of the gym is home to a farm animal: cow, pig, chicken and horse. The group travels from corner to corner as the farmer calls, moving like each animal. Kids practice finding their way around the room, using landmarks and memory.
How to play
- Before class, tape a big card with an animal picture in each corner. Visit all four corners with the group and make each animal's sound (2 min).
- Everyone starts in the middle. Say: “Let's visit the cows!” They walk to the cow corner and say “moo.” Back to the middle (2 min).
- Now travel like the corner's animal: crawl like the pig, little hops like the chicken, trot like the horse (3 min).
- From the middle, eyes closed: “Where's the chicken? Point to it.” They open their eyes and check (2 min).
- Long trips: “First the cow, then the horse,” always passing through the middle. One child plays farmer and gives the call (3 min).
Rules
- Go to the corner without bumping, looking where you're going.
- Make room for everyone in the corner.
- Return to the middle when you hear “Back to the barn!”
- Don't touch the cards.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, only two corners, with the teacher leading.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, four corners and moving like each animal.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, point with eyes closed and make two-corner trips.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: shorten the distances, or let the child travel with the teacher and point to the corner from the middle.
- Hearing or autism: show a small card matching the corner picture instead of only saying the name.
- Skill level: skilled kids make three-corner trips; easily distracted kids hold a buddy's hand.
Learning goals
- Find their way around the room using fixed landmarks.
- Remember where each corner is and point to it.
- Copy a variety of animal movements.
Equipment for a class of 25
- cardstock: 4
Teacher tip
Use big pictures at kids' eye level. If they crowd into a corner, ask them to arrive on tiptoes.
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