Newspaper Skaters

With a newspaper sheet under each foot, children glide across a smooth floor as if skating on ice. They work on balance while moving and leg coordination.

How to play

1. Each child takes off their shoes or stays in socks and puts a sheet folded in four under each foot (1 min).
2. Start without lifting the feet: slowly slide one foot forward, then the other (1 min).
3. With soft music, skate all over the room with arms open like wings (2 min).
4. The teacher calls "Ice rink!" and we skate very slowly; "Go home!" and we skate back to our spot (1 min).
5. Do one slow spin in place and take off the sheets to put them away (1 min).

Rules

• Your feet stay on your paper.
• Skate slowly and don't push anyone.
• If I fall, I laugh and get back up.
• When the music stops, we freeze like ice statues.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: seated on a chair, slide the feet back and forth on the sheets to the music.
• Autism: tape an oval track so the child always skates the same route, and give a heads-up before each change.
• Less balance: keep only one foot on paper and a grippy sock on the other, or hold a friend's hand.

Learning goals

• Keep balance while gliding.
• Coordinate alternating leg movements.
• Adjust speed to avoid bumping into others.

Equipment for a class of 25

• newspaper sheets: 50
• music

Teacher tip

This only works on a smooth floor (classroom or gym), never outside. Fold the sheet in four so it doesn't tear right away, and clear tables and chairs out of the way.

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