Moving Day While the Bear Sleeps
The teacher is a bear sleeping on a mat, and children have to move house from the old home (a hoop full of things) to the new home (another hoop) without waking the bear. If the bear stirs, everyone freezes like a statue, practicing quiet movement, body control and a shared race against the sand timer.
How to play
- Put the old home (a hoop full of stuffed animals and balls) on one side of the sleeping bear and the new home on the other side. Kids spread out around them (2 min).
- The teacher explains: “The bear is a light sleeper: if he hears a noise, he opens one eye; if he sees you moving, he sends you back home with what you're carrying” (2 min).
- Flip the sand timer: everyone at once tiptoes, carrying one thing each from the old home to the new one (3 min).
- Every so often the bear growls and rolls over: everyone freezes like statues until he snores again (3 min).
- Second move, back to the old home, with a new way to move: on all fours or walking backward (2 min).
- The bear wakes up, sees the tidy house and thanks the whole group with a big bear hug (2 min).
Rules
- I tiptoe without talking.
- I carry one thing at a time.
- When the bear moves, I freeze like a statue.
- If the bear sees me, I go back to the old home and try again: nobody is out.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, the bear only opens one eye now and then and doesn't send anyone back.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, play as described, with statues and going back home.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, use things that are harder to carry quietly (rattles, plastic plates) and the bear calls out who is moving.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: put the new home closer to the child and have friends bring items for them to place.
- Autism: explain that the growl is pretend and practice the sound beforehand.
- Hearing impairment: a buddy taps the child's shoulder when the bear moves, and the bear rolls over very visibly.
Learning goals
- Move with control and in silence.
- Freeze in response to a signal.
- Follow the game's rules and cooperate on the move.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Stuffed animals: 15
- Balls: 15
- Mat: 1
- Hoops: 2
- Large sand timer: 1
Teacher tip
Keep the bear's growl playful, never scary. Kids tend to run to finish faster; remind them the bear always hears runners.
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