Mother, May I? Flea Steps and Elephant Steps
We play a version of the traditional Spanish game 'Madre, ¿me das permiso?', much like Mother, May I?: children ask permission to move forward and the game's 'mom' or 'dad' says how many steps and which animal. It's a traditional rule game that builds controlling step length and asking before acting.
How to play
- Children stand in a line behind a rope; far away, behind another rope, is the teacher playing the mom (1 min).
- Learn the steps: flea (a tiny step), penguin (feet together), kangaroo (a jump) and elephant (a huge, slow step) (2 min).
- Taking turns, each child asks 'Mother, may I?' and she answers 'Yes, three elephant steps'; the child does them and says 'Thank you' (4 min).
- So no one waits long, the mom gives permission to whole groups: 'Everyone with white sneakers, two kangaroo steps' (3 min).
- When everyone has arrived, a child becomes the game's mom or dad and we play a short new round (3 min).
- Walk back to the start with flea steps, very slowly (1 min).
Rules
- Before I move, I ask 'Mother, may I?'
- I take the steps I'm told, not one more.
- If I forget to ask, I go back one step and keep playing.
- When I get there, I wait for everyone to arrive.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, use just two steps (flea and elephant) and give permission to everyone at once.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, use four animals and permission by groups or one at a time.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, children play the mom or dad and invent new steps (crab, snake).
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: each step becomes a wheelchair push (flea: a little nudge; elephant: a long push).
- Autism: use animal picture cards the mom shows when giving permission.
- Hearing impairment: the mom shows the animal card and the number of steps on her fingers.
Learning goals
- Play a traditional game by its rules.
- Control step length and type.
- Ask permission and wait for the answer before acting.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Long rope: 2
Teacher tip
In the original game, forgetting to ask sends you back to the start; here it's just one step back so no one gets discouraged. Give permission to everyone often so nobody falls far behind.
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