Jingle Hand or Jingle Foot
Each child holds a shaker and wears a jingle bracelet on one ankle; depending on the card the teacher shows, only the hand can make noise, only the foot, or both. It works on moving one body part while keeping another still.
How to play
- Shaker in hand, bells on ankle: test what makes noise when each part moves (2 min).
- Hand card: only the shaker plays and the foot stays glued to the floor (2 min).
- Foot card: only the bells jingle and the hand stays still as a statue (2 min).
- Both card: shaker and bells play together while moving around the room (2 min).
- Blank card: total silence; finish by taking off the bracelet super slowly so it doesn't jingle (2 min).
Rules
- Only what's on the card makes noise.
- If a sound slips out, laugh and keep going.
- The foot jingles in place, no kicking.
Variations
Easier
Age 3: hand or foot only, staying in place, with the teacher doing the move alongside.
Standard
Age 4: all four cards, moving around with the both card.
Harder
Age 5: the teacher shows two cards in a row and they do them in that order.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: put the bracelet on the other wrist and play right hand versus left hand.
- Hearing impairment: the game runs on cards, plus feeling vibrations with a hand on the floor.
- Autism: big cards, in the same order the first time through.
Learning goals
- Move one body part while keeping another still.
- Become aware of hands and feet.
- Respond to visual signals.
Equipment for a class of 25
- homemade shakers: 25
- jingle bell bracelets: 25
- picture cards: 3
Teacher tip
Ankle bracelets need to fit snugly with large, securely sewn bells; check them when you collect them. The still foot is the hardest part, so tell them to pretend it's stuck with bubble gum.
PatioLab has "Jingle Hand or Jingle Foot" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
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