Getting off the Horse Like Cowboys

Kids climb onto "horses" made of foam blocks or rolled mats, ride them sitting, and learn to get off like cowboys: lying on their tummy and sliding their feet down to the floor. It practices climbing onto a large shape and a safe way down that works for any height.

How to play

1. The teacher sets up several horses from foam blocks at the children's waist height, with mats around them (2 min).
2. Demo of the cowboy dismount: tummy on the horse, turn, and feet go down first (2 min).
3. We climb onto the horse however we can, using hands and a knee, and sit astride (3 min).
4. We ride to the drum: walk, trot and gallop while sitting (4 min).
5. At "Cowboys, back to the ranch!", we dismount the cowboy way and lead the horse to water (4 min).

Rules

• I get on and off slowly, no jumping off the horse.
• I get down tummy first and feet first.
• Two cowboys per horse at most.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: rides a low horse or the chair and practices the dismount from a mat.
• Hearing impairment: drum rhythms paired with walk, trot and gallop gestures.
• More skill: climb on without knees, using only hands and a little hop.

Learning goals

• Climb onto a large shape with no steps.
• Learn to get down tummy-first, feet first.
• Move to a rhythm.

Equipment for a class of 25

• bloques de gomaespuma: 8
• colchonetas: 6
• pandero: 1

Teacher tip

This dismount is gold on the playground: they'll use it on slides, low walls and park rocks. At the end, ask them to explain it in their own words.

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