Rowing Our Bottom Boats
Sitting on the floor, children are boats that scoot on their bottoms and heels, rowing with their arms to a made-up song. They practice moving while seated and coordinating their body.
How to play
- Sitting down, the teacher shows how to scoot: heels forward, pull, and slide your bottom toward them (2 min).
- We scoot across the sea singing: "Row, row, little boat, row so very slow" (3 min).
- When the song says "Wave!", the boat rocks and scoots backward pushing with the hands (2 min).
- Two ropes become riverbanks, and we carry fish (scarves) from one bank to the other (3 min).
- The boats reach the harbor and tie up by holding hands in a line (2 min).
Rules
- My boat stays seated; I don't stand up.
- I scoot with my heels and bottom.
- I row my arms to the beat of the song.
- If another boat needs to pass, I let it.
Variations
Easier
Age 3: they scoot seated however they can, and the teacher helps by gently pulling their hands.
Standard
Age 4: forward with heels and backward with hands.
Harder
Age 5: sideways too, keeping exactly to the song's beat.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the child rows with their arms in their wheelchair and keeps the beat singing.
- Deaf or hard of hearing: show the beat with a big rowing gesture, and wave blue fabric for "Wave!"
- More skilled: they scoot with arms crossed over their chest, using only legs and bottom.
Learning goals
- Scoot while seated, coordinating legs and trunk.
- Match movement to a sung rhythm.
- Change direction without standing up.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Ropes: 2
- Blue scarves: 6
Teacher tip
Sweatpants work best; thin fabric rubs. Sing slowly: scooting is more tiring than it looks.
PatioLab has "Rowing Our Bottom Boats" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
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