Moving Day for the Giant Blocks

In groups, children carry foam blocks so big that one person can't manage alone, and use them to build a giant couch in the new house for everyone to sit on. They learn to coordinate with others to move an object and reach a shared goal.

How to play

1. The teacher marks the old house, where the big blocks are, and the new house on the other side with cones (1 min).
2. Try lifting a block alone and discover it's heavy or too big: we need help (1 min).
3. In groups of three or four, grab a block by its sides, count “One, two, three, lift!” and walk it to the new house (4 min).
4. Change it up: roll the block together, or push it along the floor with our hands (3 min).
5. In the new house, put the blocks side by side to make a giant couch or bed (3 min).
6. Everyone sits on the couch to rest and says what was hardest (2 min).

Rules

• We lift the block when the whole group says “Lift!”.
• Walk at the pace of the slowest friend in the group.
• If someone loses their grip, everyone stops and we pick it up again.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a child in a wheelchair carries small blocks on their lap or is the leader who calls “One, two, three.”
• Autism: keep a fixed group and the same count every time; they can carry a small block alone if group contact is hard.
• Visual impairment: they hold the block with the group, using it as a guide, while others call out turns.

Learning goals

• Coordinate strength and movement with classmates.
• Respect the group's pace.
• Build a shared space together.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Large foam blocks: 12
• Cones: 6

Teacher tip

Counting out loud before lifting is the key: practice it without a block first. If a group argues about where to hold, assign sides: you here, you there.

More main activities for Elementary