Putting Away the Sports Gear

At the end of the sports session, children collect the equipment at a slow walk and sort it into boxes like gym staff, then stretch. It works on cooling down, sorting and shared responsibility.

How to play

1. The teacher sets out boxes with a picture of each item (balls, rackets, noodles, cones) and explains that we are in charge of the gym (1 min).
2. To a slow drum beat, we walk slowly and each child picks up one item and takes it to its box (2 min).
3. When nothing is left, we check together that each box has the right things (1 min).
4. Standing in a circle, we stretch arms to the ceiling, legs and back, like athletes after a game (1 min).
5. We take three breaths and thank each other for helping (1 min).

Rules

• We walk, we don't run.
• I carry one thing at a time.
• Everything goes in its own box.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: carry items on the lap or use a long grabber and drop them in the nearest box.
• Autism: always give the child the same box so they know exactly what to do.
• Visual impairment: boxes with a sample item taped on so they can be recognized by touch.

Learning goals

• Calm down after the activity.
• Sort equipment by type.
• Take responsibility for shared equipment.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Large cardboard boxes: 4
• Hand drum: 1

Teacher tip

If clean-up is always the same, within a few weeks they do it on their own in two minutes. The typical mistake is running to the box with full arms, so let the slow drum set the pace.

More activities like this

More cool-downs for Elementary