Peace Doves Deliver White Scarves

For Peace Day, half the class are doves flying with a white scarf, and they gently give it to someone who doesn’t have one, who then becomes a dove. It works different ways of traveling and caring gestures toward classmates.

How to play

1. Explain that some schools celebrate Peace Day (in Spain, January 30) and that the white dove carries messages of peace; show how to hand over the scarf: looking at your friend and saying “peace” or smiling (2 min).
2. Everyone flies without scarves: slow flapping, fast flapping and gliding with still arms (2 min).
3. Delivery: half the class flies with a scarf and gives it to someone without one; the receiver says thank you and flies off to give it to someone else (3 min).
4. Change how the doves fly: low, on tiptoe or with little hops, and keep delivering (3 min).
5. Final flock: everyone holds a scarf, flies in a big circle and lands together on the floor (2 min).

Rules

• Scarves are given, never taken.
• I give my scarf to someone with empty hands.
• When we give, we say “peace” or smile.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: classmates fly over to give the scarf, and the child passes it on by reaching out from the chair.
• Visual impairment: the giver gently taps a shoulder and places the scarf in the child’s hand.
• Autism: handing over the scarf can just mean holding it out, without eye contact or words.

Learning goals

• Travel around the space in different ways.
• Practice kind gestures and saying thank you.
• Experience Peace Day through movement.

Equipment for a class of 25

• White scarves: 13

Teacher tip

Make sure every child gets a scarf; sometimes the same few keep receiving. A helpful cue is “Look for empty hands.”

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