Little Worms Climb to the Apple

Kids are little worms crawling on their tummies up a gentle slope to the apple at the top, then going back down backward on all fours like little crabs. It practices crawling up a slope and a safe backward descent.

How to play

1. The teacher hooks the bench onto the first rung of the wall bars, covers it with a mat and puts a fabric apple at the top (2 min).
2. We practice on the floor: belly crawling, pulling with the arms and pushing with the feet (2 min).
3. One at a time, we crawl up the ramp to touch the apple and take a pretend "bite" (4 min).
4. We go back down backward on all fours like crabs, looking at the ramp (3 min).
5. The little worms lie down to digest (1 min).

Rules

• I go up dragging my tummy.
• I go down backward, never head first.
• One on the ramp at a time.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: crawls along a flat mat with the adult's help.
• Visual impairment: the apple has a big bell attached to follow the sound.
• Autism: can go up at their own pace with no one waiting behind.

Learning goals

• Crawl up a slope.
• Coordinate arms and legs while belly crawling.
• Go down backward with control.

Equipment for a class of 25

• banco sueco: 1
• colchonetas: 3
• manzanas de tela: 1
• espaldera: 1

Teacher tip

If you have two benches, set up two ramps to avoid long waits. Comfy clothes help: dresses and skirts make belly crawling much harder.

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