Kittens Climb onto the Couch
Children are kittens crawling around the room and climbing on all fours onto "couches" made of two stacked mats, then sliding carefully back down. It warms up the body and practices going up and down a low height.
How to play
- The teacher sets up several "couches" of two stacked mats and the kids get on all fours (1 min).
- Kittens wander between the couches, meowing softly (1 min).
- "On the couch!": each kitten climbs onto a couch on all fours and stretches like a cat (2 min).
- We get down carefully: tummy on the mat and feet first to the floor (1 min).
- The kittens curl up on the couch and purr (1 min).
Rules
- I climb up with my hands and knees.
- I go down feet first, never head first.
- There's room for several on a couch: I make space.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, just one mat high.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, two mats.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, climb without knees, on hands and feet like a real cat.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the teacher helps the child sit on the edge of the couch and scoot down.
- Autism: each child has a couch marked with their color to avoid crowding.
- Visual impairment: feel the couch with the hands first to find its edge.
Learning goals
- Warm up the body on all fours.
- Climb onto a low height using the hands.
- Learn to get down feet first.
Equipment for a class of 25
- colchonetas: 10
Teacher tip
Set up one couch for every four or five kids so they don't pile up. Teach "feet first" from day one: it's the foundation for getting down from any height.
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