Park Where the Crossing Guard Says

Children drive around the playground with a hoop as a steering wheel and park in front of, behind, next to, or between cones as the crossing guard directs. They practice spatial concepts on the move along with road safety.

How to play

1. Each child takes a hoop as a steering wheel; the teacher is the crossing guard and spreads cones around the playground as parking spots (1 min).
2. We drive around town without crashing; at the stop sign, everyone brakes and freezes (2 min).
3. The guard calls where to park: "In front of a cone!" "Behind a cone!" "Next to a cone!" "Between two cones!" (5 min).
4. Gas station: a big cone in a corner; on "Gas!" the cars drive fast and park in a line behind the car in front (4 min).
5. We get home: each car parks inside its garage (puts the hoop on the floor and steps inside) and turns off the engine (2 min).

Rules

• Cars don't crash: if another one's coming, I brake.
• At the stop sign, I stop right away.
• I park where the guard says.
• The steering wheel stays in my hands; I don't throw it.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child drives the actual wheelchair, with cones spaced farther apart.
• Hearing loss: the guard holds up picture cards for each position and the stop sign.
• Autism: keep the same cone as the child's home spot and give a heads-up before each change.

Learning goals

• Position oneself relative to an object while moving.
• Stop and start on a signal.
• Move around the space with respect for others.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Hoops: 25
• Cones: 12
• Cardstock stop sign: 1

Teacher tip

Set out more cones than children so nobody fights over a spot. "Between two cones" is tricky: show it yourself by standing in the middle with arms touching both.

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