Miners in the Crystal Mine
Miners enter the mine through the narrow tunnel, follow the cart tracks, go down and up the shaft, jump the stones in the underground river, and pick up a crystal (scarf) to toss into the mine cart. When the teacher calls a cave-in, everyone takes cover and freezes until it's all clear.
How to play
- Sitting with pretend helmets on and headlamps switched on, children see the mine: tunnel (play tunnel), tracks (two parallel ropes to walk between), shaft (foam wedge and mats), underground river (hoop stones) and mine cart (a box) (2 min).
- The teacher plays the head miner and walks the mine explaining each step (2 min).
- Miners go in one by one; at the end, they pick a crystal up off the floor, toss it into the cart and walk back to the entrance along the outside (5 min).
- Cave-in! When the teacher calls it, every miner crouches and freezes, covering their head, wherever they are; on “All clear!”, they carry on (3 min).
- Count the crystals in the cart together and leave the mine switching off the headlamps (2 min).
- Shake the mine dust off from head to toe (2 min).
Rules
- One at a time in the tunnel, no pushing.
- On the tracks, feet stay off the ropes.
- Climb the shaft on hands and knees and come down on your bottom.
- In a cave-in, everyone crouches and freezes.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, use wide tracks, a low shaft and just one cave-in, announced ahead.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, tracks one foot wide and two or three cave-ins.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, narrow tracks to walk heel-to-toe, and the crystal balanced on the head along the tracks.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the child runs the mine cart, receiving and counting the crystals, or takes the outside route with help.
- Autism: preview the cave-in with a card before calling it, and never turn off the real lights.
- Hearing loss: the teacher signals the cave-in by crouching with hands on the head for children to copy.
Learning goals
- Adjust the body to narrow spaces and marked paths.
- Stop and take cover on a signal.
- Wait for a turn in each part of the mine.
Equipment for a class of 25
- túnel de tela: 1
- cuerdas: 2
- colchonetas: 4
- cuña de gomaespuma: 1
- aros: 6
- pañuelos: 25
- caja: 1
Teacher tip
Don't turn off the lights: the darkness is all imagination. Put the wedge against a wall with mats around it. The cave-in position doubles as practice for safety drills.
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