Little Sweepers Clean Up the Leaves
The wind has covered the gym with leaves (balls), and the sweepers use their pool noodle brooms to push them in small groups into the trash cans (hoops). Kids work on moving an object with an implement, hand-eye coordination, and teamwork.
How to play
- Place 4 hoops on the floor, one in each area of the gym: the trash cans. Scatter 30–40 soft balls on the floor. Each child gets a pool noodle: their broom.
- Say: "The wind blew through and there are leaves everywhere!" Show how to sweep: hold the noodle with two hands and push the ball along the floor, never lifting it above the knee.
- In groups of five, each beside its own trash can, kids sweep balls into the hoop. It does not matter how many: the goal is a clean gym (3 minutes).
- You are the wind: "Whoosh!" Empty the hoops and scatter the balls. New task: sweep in pairs with one noodle held by both (3 minutes).
- Third round: sweep only the leaves of one color, or take them to a faraway trash can around a cone (3 minutes).
- Finish with "The gym is clean!" Everyone lays their noodle on the floor and walks along it like a tightrope walker, then puts it away (3 minutes).
Rules
- The noodle always stays on the floor, never above the knee.
- Sweep the ball, not your classmates.
- Never take balls out of a trash can.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, use big balls, put the trash cans close, and let kids push with their hands if needed.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, sweep with two hands on the noodle and in pairs in the second round.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, add a cone course to the trash can and sweep only the color you call.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the child sweeps from the wheelchair with a pole, and their trash can is closer.
- Autism: give the child their own trash can and ball color.
- More skilled kids sweep one-handed; less skilled kids get bigger balls.
Learning goals
- Move a ball along the floor with an implement.
- Coordinate eyes with arm movements.
- Work together on a shared task without competing.
Equipment for a class of 25
- pool noodles: 20
- soft balls: 40
- hoops: 4
- cones: 4
Teacher tip
Do not count balls per group: celebrate the clean gym together. Before handing out noodles, make the "stay on the floor" rule very clear.
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