Melting Like an Ice Cream Cone

Each child holds a cone upside down like an ice cream cone and, when the sun comes out, melts little by little until lying on the floor. Children practice progressive relaxation and moving from tension to calm.

How to play

1. Each child takes a cone, holds it point down and picks their ice cream flavor (1 min).
2. We're fresh ice cream: stand up very straight and stiff, right out of the freezer (1 min).
3. The sun comes out and the ice cream melts slowly: first the head drops, then the shoulders, the arms, and the cone sinks to the floor (1 min).
4. Keep melting until you're lying down like a soft little puddle, eyes closed (1 min).
5. The sun hides and we freeze again very slowly until we're sitting up, then put the cone in the bin (1 min).

Rules

• Ice cream melts very slowly, without flopping down all at once.
• When I'm a puddle, I'm quiet.
• My cone doesn't touch anyone.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: melt while seated, letting the head, shoulders and arms drop onto the legs.
• Autism: dim the lights and use a soft voice; if they don't want to lie down, they can melt sitting with their cone.
• Hearing impairment: the teacher acts as a mirror and everyone copies how they melt.

Learning goals

• Relax the body one part at a time.
• Notice the difference between tension and relaxation.
• Return to calm at the end of the session.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Cones: 25

Teacher tip

Speak softer and slower as they melt. The usual mistake is flopping down all at once: model the movement in exaggerated slow motion.

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