Mama Whale and Her Baby

In pairs, a mama whale and her baby swim slowly, come up to breathe, sing to each other, and rock to sleep. It focuses on breathing and sharing a calm moment with a partner.

How to play

1. In pairs, one is the mama whale and the other the baby; they swim very slowly through the sea, the baby always next to its mama (2 min).
2. They come up to breathe: big breath in, slowly sink down into a crouch, and rise up letting the air out in a long spout, "whoooosh" (1 min).
3. The mama sings a whale song, a long low "ooooo," and the baby answers softly (1 min).
4. Bedtime: the baby lies down and the mama makes gentle waves with her hands on its back; then they switch roles (2 min).
5. The two whales lie side by side breathing slowly and wake up with a big stretch (1 min).

Rules

• Whales swim very slowly.
• Waves on the back are gentle, like water.
• We sing softly so we don't wake the sea.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a whale in a wheelchair swims with the arms and receives waves on the back or shoulders while seated.
• Autism: instead of back waves, each child rocks on their own if touch is bothersome.
• Hearing impairment: the mama whale signals with a hand when to sink and when to rise.

Learning goals

• Control breathing in and out.
• Relax with a partner's gentle touch.
• Calm down at the end of the session.

Teacher tip

Make your own whale spout really long so they copy it. Back waves get rough fast, so first show them how to do it on your own arm.

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