My Scarf Turns Into…

The scarf turns into a lion's tail, an elephant's trunk, bird wings or bunny ears, and children move like that animal; at the end they invent their own transformations. It works on imitation, different ways of moving and creativity.

How to play

1. The scarf is a lion's tail: tuck it into the back of your pants and walk on all fours, roaring and swishing your tail (2 min).
2. Now it's an elephant's trunk: hold it to your nose with one hand and stomp heavily, swinging the trunk (2 min).
3. It becomes wings: hold the corners with both hands behind your back and fly like birds, slow and fast (2 min).
4. They're bunny ears: put it on your head with the corners up and hop without letting it fall (2 min).
5. Everyone invents what their scarf turns into (a cape, a flag, a snake…) and moves like that character; the others guess and copy (3 min).
6. The scarf goes back to being a scarf: fold it and put it away (1 min).

Rules

• Move like the animal we're playing.
• The scarf never goes around your neck.
• Watch the inventor, then copy.
• Every idea counts.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child plays each animal from the wheelchair with arms, head and sounds; wings and trunk work just the same.
• Hearing impairment: introduce each animal with a picture and the scarf gesture before starting.
• Autism: use animal picture cards in order to preview the next change.

Learning goals

• Imitate animals using different ways of moving.
• Use an object symbolically.
• Invent movements and share them with the group.

Equipment for a class of 25

• fabric scarves: 25

Teacher tip

Large square scarves work better than long ones for ears and wings. When it's time to invent, give the quieter kids a turn first with a simple “And what's yours?”

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