Knights Train in the Castle Yard

The castle's knights train before their adventure: riding horses at a walk, trot and gallop, ducking behind their shields and practicing the moat jump. The intensity builds step by step and previews the moves of the castle obstacle course.

How to play

1. Mount a pretend horse and walk around the yard to the slow beat of the drum (1 min).
2. The drum speeds up: trot, then gallop; when the teacher calls “Whoa, horsey!”, stop on the spot (2 min).
3. Get off the horse and raise the shield with one arm, then the other, ducking down behind it (1 min).
4. Practice the moat jump: a two-footed hop over an imaginary line, forward and back (1 min).
5. Climb the tower stairs in place and, from the top, scan the horizon with a hand shading the eyes, left and right (1 min).

Rules

• Horses gallop without bumping.
• On “Whoa!”, every horse stops.
• Feet together to jump the moat.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a child in a wheelchair “rides” by moving the chair with help and does the shield with the arms.
• Hearing loss: pair “Whoa!” with pulling back on imaginary reins.
• Different skill levels: children who can't gallop yet can trot; the teacher gallops beside them so they can watch up close.

Learning goals

• Raise the intensity gradually.
• Stop moving on a signal.
• Rehearse the two-footed jump.

Equipment for a class of 25

• pandero: 1

Teacher tip

Galloping is hard for many 3- and 4-year-olds: don't correct it, trying is enough. Always use “Whoa!” the same way, since you will reuse it to stop the course later.

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