Hansel and Gretel's Breadcrumb Trail

A partner movement story: like Hansel and Gretel, kids hold hands and follow breadcrumb trails made of colored disc cones, get lost when the birds eat the crumbs and build the candy house together. They work on following a route, jumping and teamwork.

How to play

1. Before class, mark three or four trails on the playground with flat disc cones, one color per trail, a step apart. Leave the cardboard boxes in a pile at the end.
2. Circle (2 min): 'Hansel and Gretel go into the forest and leave crumbs so they won't get lost.' Kids pair up and hold hands.
3. Follow the crumbs (4 min): each pair picks a color and steps on every disc, walking or with small hops. At the end, they come back the same way and switch colors.
4. The birds (3 min): pretending to be a bird, remove a few discs. Pairs must jump farther or find the next disc without letting go.
5. The candy house (4 min): all pairs reach the boxes and build a house together, one box per pair. Then they tiptoe around it and pretend to nibble the roof.
6. Back home (2 min): the moon lights the way: put the discs back and pairs hop back to the circle.

Rules

• Always hold your partner's hand.
• Step on the discs without running so you don't slip.
• When building, place the box; don't throw it.
• If a trail is busy, wait or pick another.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: space the discs wider so the wheelchair can roll alongside them.
• Autism: keep the same partner and preview the bird part.
• More skilled kids jump the gaps; less skilled kids walk them.

Learning goals

• Follow a route marked on the ground.
• Jump and walk in sync with a partner.
• Build something together as a class.

Equipment for a class of 25

• flat disc cones: 40
• cardboard boxes: 10

Teacher tip

Disc cones slip on wet ground, so check the playground first. To pair up fast, sing a short tune and have them grab the hand of whoever's next to them.

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