Little Cars to the Garage

Each child drives a little car with a paper plate as a steering wheel: forward, in reverse, around cones and into a garage (hoop). Kids work on direction of movement, in front of and behind, and stopping on the traffic light signal.

How to play

1. Before class, place one hoop per child around the playground (the garages) and some cones (the traffic circles). Have a red card and a green card ready. Each child starts inside a garage with a paper plate.
2. Show them: “Start your engines, vroom.” With the green card up, cars drive forward, walking all over the playground without crashing (3 min).
3. Red card: brake and stop. Switch green and red often (3 min).
4. Call “Reverse!”: kids walk backward very slowly, looking over their shoulder. Then “Forward!” again (3 min).
5. Course calls: “Drive around a traffic circle,” “park in front of a cone,” “park behind a cone” (3 min).
6. To finish: “All cars to the garage!” Each car parks inside a hoop, backing in slowly, and turns off the engine (3 min).

Rules

• Cars never crash: if another is close, brake.
• Reverse is always very slow.
• On red, everyone freezes.
• Hold the steering wheel with both hands.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the wheelchair is the car; make big garages with two hoops together.
• Hearing: the traffic light card is the main signal and is held up high.
• Skill level or shyness: a child can drive with a buddy in a two-seater car; skilled kids can go faster on green.

Learning goals

• Move forward and backward while controlling speed.
• Place themselves in front of, behind and inside an object.
• Respond to visual stop and go signals.

Equipment for a class of 25

• paper plates: 20
• hoops: 20
• cones: 8
• cardstock: 2

Teacher tip

Engine sounds pull kids into the game instantly. Do reverse only in open space and over very short distances.

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