Hike to Owl Mountain

Motor story: kids go on a hike to visit the owl who lives at the top of the mountain, and along the way they walk up slopes, climb soft rocks, hang from a low branch and climb down carefully. Climbing, going up and down, and hanging all come together in one story.

How to play

1. The teacher builds the mountain: a slope (wedge), rocks (mats and cushions), a branch (low bar with a mat) and the owl's house (a stuffed owl on top of a mat pile) (3 min).
2. We pack our pretend backpacks and start down the trail (2 min).
3. We walk up the slope and climb the rocks without stepping in the "river" on the floor (4 min).
4. We find a branch: we hang for a moment with an adult beside us to cross the stream (4 min).
5. We reach the owl's house, whisper hello, and climb down the mountain sitting, feet first (3 min).
6. Back at camp, we share the hardest part of the hike (2 min).

Rules

• Hikers walk in a line, no passing.
• On the branch, only when the adult is beside you.
• We whisper to the owl because it sleeps during the day.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: an alternate route on the floor, and the owl comes down to say hello.
• Autism: a picture map of the route with its stops, and the same story each time.
• Hearing impairment: each part of the story has a card the teacher shows.

Learning goals

• Link climbing, hanging and getting down in one route.
• Experience movement inside a story.
• Get down safely at the end of the effort.

Equipment for a class of 25

• colchonetas: 8
• cojines: 8
• cuña de gomaespuma: 1
• barra baja: 1
• peluches: 1

Teacher tip

Tell the story in a narrator voice and take your time; the branch sets the pace because that's where the line forms. Station the adult there and have the others keep the story going at camp.

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