In Through the Mouth, Out Through the Tail
A few fabric tunnels are sleeping dragons: children jog around them and, at the signal, crawl in through the dragon's mouth and out through its tail. We warm up by switching between running and crawling, and get comfortable in enclosed spaces.
How to play
- Meet the dragons: the teacher puts a red scarf at the mouth of each tunnel and a blue one at the tail, and shows how to go in through the mouth (1 min).
- We jog gently around the dragons without touching them, so we don't wake them up (1 min).
- At “To the mouth!” each child finds a dragon, crawls in at the red scarf and out at the blue one, then keeps jogging (2 min).
- Now we go in pairs: one crawls through, the other waits at the tail and gives a high five on the way out (1 min).
- The dragon wakes up: the teacher gently wiggles the tunnel while kids crawl through. Tickly! (1 min).
- The dragons fall back asleep: we tiptoe around them and take big breaths (1 min).
Rules
- I go in at the red mouth and out at the blue tail.
- If someone is inside, I wait at the mouth.
- Inside the tunnel I crawl; I never stand up.
- When I come out, I move aside to make room.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, use short tunnels; the teacher holds the tail open and calls each child by name from the exit.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, use long tunnels and several trips through in the same round.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, they choose to crawl, army-crawl, or go backward, and clap in the air as they come out.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: an adult lifts the tunnel into an arch and the child rolls under in their wheelchair, or slides through on a mat.
- Autism or fear of enclosed spaces: start with the tunnel scrunched very short so light shows through, then stretch it bit by bit; watching without going in is fine.
- Visual impairment: a classmate talks from the tail to guide them, and the entrance is marked with a cloth of a different texture.
Learning goals
- Warm up by alternating running and crawling.
- Go in and out of an enclosed space with confidence.
- Wait for a turn at the tunnel mouth.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Fabric play tunnels: 3
- Colored scarves: 6
Teacher tip
Anchor each tunnel end with a beanbag so it doesn't roll. The usual jam is two kids entering from opposite ends; stick to the red and blue scarves from day one.
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