Rain Circle: Que Llueva Weather Game

A traditional circle game sung to "Que llueva, que llueva" (Spanish rain song, title only). After each verse, the tambourine calls a type of weather and everyone acts it out with their body. Kids work on rhythm, listening, and different ways of moving.

How to play

1. Children hold hands in a circle. The group sings the song while the circle walks one way; on the repeat, it walks the other way (1 minute).
2. When the song ends, hands let go and you play the tambourine. Soft finger taps: "Drizzle!" Everyone tiptoes, fluttering their fingers in the air.
3. Loud, fast beats: "Downpour!" Everyone jogs gently around the gym without bumping. One very loud beat: "Thunder!" Everyone freezes like a statue (2 minutes).
4. Bouncy beats: "Puddles!" Jump with feet together. A shaking tambourine: "Wind!" Spin with arms out. Silence: "Here comes the sun!" Arms up and back to the circle (2 minutes).
5. Repeat the cycle: circle with the song, then two or three random weather calls (4 minutes).
6. Last round: the circle closes to the middle, everyone crouches like raindrops, then rises slowly like a rainbow (1 minute).

Rules

• When you hear thunder, freeze.
• During the downpour, look ahead and never push.
• Hold hands gently when you rejoin the circle.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child acts out the weather with their arms from the wheelchair.
• Hearing loss: hold up a picture card for each weather type as you play it.
• More skilled kids invent new weather (hail, snow) with a movement; less skilled kids hold your hand.

Learning goals

• Move to the beat of a song in a circle.
• Link tambourine sounds to different movements.
• Take part in a traditional circle game.

Equipment for a class of 25

• tambourine: 1

Teacher tip

Teach the song in the classroom before PE. If the group gets wound up during the downpour, stretch out the drizzle, which calms things down.

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