Opening Day at the Zoo

In teams, children set up the five areas of a new zoo using a photo card of each setup, then tour it moving like each animal: hopping kangaroos, slithering snakes, climbing monkeys, balancing flamingos and ball-tossing seals. The teacher has already put out the heavy equipment.

How to play

1. The teacher announces that the zoo opens today but still needs setting up; the gym bench and thick mats are already in place, and each team gets a photo card of its area (2 min).
2. Team setup: kangaroos (hoops in a row), snakes (ropes over cones as a low tunnel), monkeys (thin mats stepped beside the thick ones), flamingos (cones marking the bench area) and seals (bucket and balls) (4 min).
3. Safety check with the teacher: everyone walks the areas checking that nothing wobbles or is crooked, and fixes anything that needs it (1 min).
4. Zoo tour: each child goes through all five areas moving like that area's animal (6 min).
5. Feeding time: everyone is a seal and tosses a fish ball into the bucket from the line, taking quick turns (2 min).
6. Each team explains how they built their area and which animal they like best; the zoo closes with applause (3 min).

Rules

• We only move light things; the teacher handles heavy ones.
• Build it like the photo.
• In each area, move like its animal.
• If something wobbles or looks crooked, tell the teacher.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child is the zoo director who checks each area against the photo and opens it by cutting a ribbon.
• Autism: give a specific setup job (lining up the hoops) and the area's photo card to hold.
• Visual impairment: describe the area by touch before the tour and pair the child with a guide buddy.

Learning goals

• Organize space by following a picture.
• Decide as a team how to set up a station.
• Complete the course with jumping, crawling, climbing, balancing and throwing.

Equipment for a class of 25

• tarjetas con fotos: 5
• aros: 6
• cuerdas: 4
• conos: 6
• colchonetas finas: 4
• banco sueco: 1
• pelotas: 10
• cubo: 1

Teacher tip

Never let children move benches, vaulting boxes or thick mats: put those out ahead of time. Photo cards of the real setup are the key; take them some day when the course is already up. Keep the rope tunnel resting on top of the cones so nobody gets caught.

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