Saying Hello to Every Toy in the Room
The group walks around the room and greets each material with a different body part: hug a block, stroke a fabric, lie down on the mat. Children get to know the materials before playing and wake up their bodies calmly.
How to play
- The teacher sets the materials in three piles (blocks, fabrics and mats) and we sit in front of them (1 min).
- We tiptoe to the blocks, hug them hello and then press them gently with our tummies (1 min).
- On to the fabrics: we stroke them with our hands and cheeks and drape them over us for a moment (1 min).
- On the mats we greet with our whole body: lie on our backs, on our tummies and roll over once (2 min).
- Back in the middle, each child says which material they want to use first when play starts (1 min).
Rules
- We say hello to the toys, but we don't play with them yet.
- We all move together from pile to pile.
- When the teacher says “Bye-bye, blocks,” we leave them where they are.
Variations
Easier
With 3-year-olds, use only two materials and the teacher models each greeting first.
Standard
With 4-year-olds, use all three and each child invents a new greeting.
Harder
With 5-year-olds, they describe whether each material is soft or hard, cool or warm, heavy or light.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: bring the materials to the wheelchair so the child greets them with hands and face.
- Autism: the child may greet from a little farther away and skip touching the fabric if it bothers them.
- Visual impairment: a classmate guides the child from pile to pile and describes the colors.
Learning goals
- Explore the textures and weights of the room's materials with the body.
- Warm up with gentle movement and varied positions.
- Look ahead to play by choosing a material.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Foam blocks: 20
- Large fabric pieces: 10
- Mats: 4
Teacher tip
Use it in the first sessions of the year or whenever new equipment arrives. If someone jumps right into play, remind them today is just hello and their turn is coming.
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