Jellyfish Drift Home

Each child has a jellyfish (a scarf) that floats through the sea in very slow movements; little by little the jellyfish sink to the sea floor, settle on the tummy and rise and fall with each breath. Children move from gentle motion to complete stillness.

How to play

1. With slow music, each child moves their scarf jellyfish up and down through the air as if floating in water (1 min).
2. The jellyfish goes for a swim: walk very slowly around the space letting the scarf trail behind, without touching other jellyfish (1 min).
3. The jellyfish gets tired and sinks to the bottom: sit down slowly with it and let it fall onto the knees (1 min).
4. Lie on your back with the jellyfish on your tummy and watch it rise as you breathe in and fall as you breathe out (2 min).
5. Fold the jellyfish carefully, sit up and give it back to the teacher's basket (1 min).

Rules

• The jellyfish moves very slowly.
• Everyone keeps their own jellyfish, no taking someone else's.
• Lying down, the jellyfish rests on your tummy.
• Give back your jellyfish folded.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the jellyfish floats from the chair and rests on the knees for breathing.
• Visual impairment: use very bright scarves and the teacher softly describes how the jellyfish are moving.
• Autism: let the child choose the scarf color and don't insist on lying down; they can breathe sitting with the scarf on their knees.

Learning goals

• Move from slow motion to stillness.
• Become aware of breathing.
• Express the gentle movement of water with the body.

Equipment for a class of 25

• pañuelos: 25
• música

Teacher tip

Hand out the scarves before starting the music so no one rushes for them. Speak more and more softly. It's the natural ending for the under-the-sea course.

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