Rockets on the Launch Pad
Each child is a rocket crouched on a launch pad, a hoop; the teacher counts down silently with their fingers, and at zero the rockets blast off running to the Moon and back to base. It practices reacting to a visual signal and starting from a squat.
How to play
- Each child in a hoop, crouched with hands together over the head like a rocket's nose; at the far end of the playground, a row of cones is the Moon (2 min).
- The teacher shows the hand countdown: five fingers, four, three, two, one... and a closed fist means blast off! Practice by stretching up in place (2 min).
- First trip: at the fist, everyone blasts off running to the Moon, taps it and lands crouched in any hoop (3 min).
- The countdown gets sneaky: sometimes it stops at three and starts over, and we only launch on the closed fist (3 min).
- Launches from other spaceships: sitting in the hoop, kneeling, or lying down looking at the sky (2 min).
Rules
- I blast off only on the closed fist.
- I fly to the Moon on my own path without crashing into other rockets.
- I land slowly in a free hoop.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, also count down out loud, and put the Moon close by.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, count down with the hand only, with sneaky pauses.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, the teacher holds up a colored cone at launch and each rocket visits the planet of that color before returning.
Adaptations
- Hearing impairment: ideal, since the signal is visual; make sure the child can see it from their hoop.
- Visual impairment: the teacher adds a drum hit with the fist, and a buddy runs alongside as the mother ship.
- Limited mobility: the hoop for a child in a wheelchair is closer to the Moon, and they launch from rest with arms pointed up.
Learning goals
- Respond to a visual start signal.
- Start quickly from squatting, sitting, kneeling and lying down.
- Travel to a point and back while staying oriented in space.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Hoops: 25
- Cones: 6
Teacher tip
Stand somewhere raised or in the middle of the hoop arc so everyone can see your hand. If someone launches early, no problem: "That was a test rocket!" and it goes back to its pad.
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