Helping the Little Boy Up the Giant's Tree

Inspired by the little boy in The Selfish Giant, children help each other climb up and walk along a bench tree that slowly fills with leaves. It builds peer helping, balance at a low height and saying thank you.

How to play

1. The teacher tells how a little boy in the giant's garden was too small to climb his tree, and the tree only bloomed once someone helped him. The benches with mats around them are the trees (2 min).
2. Taking turns, each child steps up onto the bench with two friends holding their hands, walks along the branch and steps down onto the mat (3 min).
3. Coming down from the tree, each child hangs a green scarf on the branch (lays it on the bench): the tree fills up with leaves (3 min).
4. Switch it up: now helpers choose how to help (holding a hand, steadying an elbow, cheering) and the climber says “thank you” at the end (4 min).
5. The teacher plays the giant who sees the trees in bloom and is happy; everyone sits under the tree (2 min).

Rules

• No one climbs alone: always two helpers.
• We help by holding hands, never pushing.
• We wait until our friend is down before the next one goes up.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the tree is a tape line on the floor and friends gently push the wheelchair along the branch.
• Visual impairment: the child touches the bench before climbing, and helpers describe each step out loud.
• Autism: let the child choose their two helpers and watch others first.

Learning goals

• Offer and accept help from peers.
• Balance on a low raised surface.
• Say thank you after being helped.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Low benches: 2
• Mats: 6
• Green scarves: 10

Teacher tip

Always have an adult by each bench and mats on both sides. Show beforehand how to hold hands to help: firm, but no pulling.

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