Little Tulle Ghosts
With a piece of see-through tulle over their heads and shoulders, children become little ghosts who float, get spooked and freeze when “the lights come on.” It works on body expression, changes of speed and playing with fear in a fun, safe way.
How to play
- Show the tulle, check that we can see through it, and everyone drapes it over their head and shoulders, or wears it as a cape if they prefer (2 min).
- The ghosts drift very slowly around the room, floating with loose arms and saying a soft “oooh” (2 min).
- With a soft, fast drum, the ghosts float quickly on tiptoe without making noise with their feet (2 min).
- The teacher calls “Lights on!” and the ghosts get spooked: they freeze and curl up tiny until the lights go off (3 min).
- The ghosts dance in slow motion, take off their costumes and greet each other: “Oh, it was you!” (2 min).
- Fold the tulle and put it back in the dress-up box (1 min).
Rules
- The tulle hangs loose, never wrapped around your neck.
- Ghosts float, they don't run.
- When the lights are on, get small and still.
- If it feels like too much, take the tulle off and keep being a ghost.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, wear the tulle on the shoulders like a cape and follow the teacher, the big ghost, around the room.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, play as described with the tulle over the head.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, each ghost invents a way to float (waving, spinning, hopping) and the others copy it.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the tulle goes over the shoulders and the ghost floats in their wheelchair using arms and trunk.
- Visual impairment: wear the tulle only as a cape so vision isn't reduced further, with a ghost buddy holding hands.
- Autism or fearful children: the child can be the one turning on the “light” with a flashlight, or carry the tulle as a ghost flag.
Learning goals
- Express a character and its moods with the body.
- Change speed and level on a signal.
- Play with fear in a safe setting and manage it.
Equipment for a class of 25
- tulle pieces: 25
- hand drum
Teacher tip
Use only truly open-weave tulle, never plastic or dense fabric, and keep the pieces no longer than waist length so no one trips. Dim the classroom lights a little if you can: the atmosphere does the rest.
PatioLab has "Little Tulle Ghosts" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
More activities like this
More main activities for Elementary
"Al Pasar la Barca" Parachute Rowing
Sitting around the parachute, children row by pulling the fabric toward them and letting it go toward the middle to the rhythm of the traditional Spanish song "Al pasar…
"Corro de la Patata" Parachute Circle
Children circle with the parachute while singing the traditional Spanish song "Al corro de la patata" (Potato Circle), and on "achupé, achupé" everyone sits down…
"El Patio de Mi Casa" Parachute Song
Children sing the traditional Spanish ring song "El patio de mi casa" while circling with the parachute and lowering it to the ground on "agáchate" (squat down).
"Que Llueva" Parachute Rain
Using the traditional Spanish children's song "Que llueva, que llueva" (Let It Rain), children make rain, clouds and sun with the parachute, and some hide underneath as…
«A la Zapatilla por Detrás»: The Slipper Behind Your Back
Sitting in a circle with eyes covered, one child walks around the outside with a slipper singing the traditional Spanish rhyme «A la zapatilla por detrás» («the…
«A Tapar la Calle»: The Chain That Blocks the Street
Half the class forms a hand-in-hand chain that walks forward singing the traditional Spanish song «A tapar la calle» («Block the street so nobody passes»), while the…