Mats Away: Cleanup With a Safety Check

Putting equipment away becomes a calm group task: each group checks its mats and carries them together with good technique. It ends the class by taking care of the gear and their backs.

How to play

1. Each group gets a card with three checks: mat not torn, no loose Velcro, and clean of sand or dust (1 min).
2. Check the group's mats and tell the teacher about any damaged ones (2 min).
3. Carry with four people, one at each corner, knees bent to lift, no dragging. Stack them in the assigned spot (3 min).
4. Each group says in one sentence what the safest moment of its class was (1 min).

Rules

• Mats are lifted by several people, never dragged.
• Knees bent and back straight when lifting and setting down.
• Nobody climbs on or jumps onto the mat stack.
• Damaged mats go aside and the teacher is told.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: does the card check and directs the stacking order.
• Back injury: doesn't lift; checks condition and collects small equipment.
• Visual impairment: checks the mat by touch and carries a corner with a partner who calls out turns.

Learning goals

• Take care of shared equipment and spot damage.
• Use a safe technique for lifting and carrying.
• End class with a short reflection on safety.

Equipment for a class of 25

• gym mats: 16
• checklist cards: 6

Teacher tip

Always use the same stacking spot and order: after two classes they do it on their own. A torn mat is a hazard in acrosport; any mat set aside shouldn't come back out until it's repaired.

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