Hop Like a Bunny, Crawl Like a Bear

The teacher holds up animal cards and gives the command with an action word ("Hop like a bunny," "Crawl like a bear," "Slither like a snake"), and everyone moves that way around the playground. Children learn animal and action words and practice different ways of traveling.

How to play

1. Seated, show each card and say the animal: bunny, bear, snake, bird, frog, horse; repeat them (2 min).
2. Learn each action with its animal: hop (bunny), crawl (bear on all fours), slither (snake) (2 min).
3. Continue with fly (bird with flapping arms), jump (frog) and gallop (horse) (2 min).
4. To the drumbeat, say the whole phrase, and everyone moves like that animal around the playground (4 min).
5. Now just show the card; children say the phrase before they move (3 min).

Rules

• I move like the animal the teacher says.
• When the drum stops, I freeze.
• Bears and snakes move carefully on the ground.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: each animal has an arm gesture (bunny ears, wings, galloping hands).
• Visual impairment: make the animal's sound and have a buddy move alongside.
• Lower skill level: allow walking like the animal instead of hopping or slithering.

Learning goals

• Recognize animal names and movement words.
• Travel in a variety of ways.
• Connect each movement to its word.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Animal picture cards: 6
• Hand drum: 1

Teacher tip

Always say the full phrase in the same pattern ("hop like a bunny") so children learn the structure, not just single words. For Spanish learners, try salta como un conejo. Slither and crawl on grass or mats.

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