I Open the Window and the Weather Moves Me
Every time we open a pretend window we find out what the weather is, and the body moves to match it: sun, wind, rain or snow. It's a pretend-play warm-up that switches between gentle and energetic moves.
How to play
- Standing, we open a pretend window with both hands: the sun is out! We stretch up high and jog happily (1 min).
- Close it and open it again: it's windy! We spin and sway side to side like leaves (1 min).
- Open it again: it's raining! We hop through puddles and hold up a pretend umbrella (1 min).
- Open it once more: it's snowing! We shiver, rub our hands and skate with long steps (1 min).
- The teacher opens windows by surprise, and we finish with sunshine, sitting and soaking up the warmth (1 min).
Rules
- Before each kind of weather, open the window with your hands.
- Each kind of weather has its own move.
- Move without bumping into others.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, just sun and rain, with the teacher doing each move too.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, all four kinds of weather in order, then mixed.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, a child opens the window and names the weather; add “Thunderstorm!” (thunder stomps and a run to shelter).
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: each kind of weather uses arms and trunk from the chair (sun stretch, wind sway, rain fingers, snow shiver).
- Hearing impairment: the teacher shows a weather picture when opening the window.
- Autism: preview the order with picture cards of sun, wind, rain and snow.
Learning goals
- Adapt movement to an imagined situation.
- Switch between gentle and energetic moves.
- Build pretend play.
Teacher tip
Indoors, open the real window at the start and talk about today's weather: it ties in nicely with circle time. Opening the window works as a pause between weather types and keeps them from speeding up.
PatioLab has "I Open the Window and the Weather Moves Me" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
More activities like this
More warm-ups for Elementary
«Ahora que Vamos Despacio»: The Silly-Fibs Stroll
We stroll very slowly singing the traditional Spanish song «Ahora que vamos despacio» («Now that we're going slowly, let's tell some fibs»), and on each «tralará» we…
«El Cocherito Leré»: The Hopping Carriage
We're carriages trotting around the yard, and on every «leré» in the traditional Spanish song «El cocherito leré» («the little coachman») we jump with feet together.
«Sal de Ahí, Chivita»: The Get-Out-Little-Goat Chain
The little goat won't leave the field, so in this traditional Spanish cumulative song we call the wolf, the dog, the stick, the fire, the water and the ox.
A Bandage Where I'm Tagged
A few children tag holding a scarf; anyone tagged puts on a “bandage” by placing a hand exactly where they were touched and keeps running that way, and after a second…
A Walk Through the Pole Forest
We stand plastic poles upright in cones with holes and the playground becomes a forest of tall trees.
Achoo, Into Your Elbow!
Children move around like animals and when the teacher goes “Ah… ah… achoo!”, they stop and hide their face in their elbow as if sneezing or coughing.