Slow-Motion Slugs to the Lettuce

Children are slugs and snails creeping very slowly toward the lettuce and freezing like stones whenever the gardener turns around. They practice slow-motion body control, stopping on cue, and patience.

How to play

1. Explain that slugs and snails creep very slowly to eat the lettuce and freeze if the gardener sees them; line up at the far end (1 min).
2. Creep forward in slow motion, lying on your tummy and sliding like a slug toward the lettuce (the other side) (2 min).
3. The gardener-teacher turns around: "Are there slugs in my garden?" and everyone freezes like a stone; when the gardener looks back at the plants, keep going (3 min).
4. Now we're snails: walk crouched over with hands on your back as a shell, in slow motion, with freezes (2 min).
5. When everyone arrives, they eat the lettuce in slow motion with a giant mouth and fall asleep (2 min).

Rules

• Slowest is best: nobody runs.
• When the gardener looks, we're stones.
• If someone moves, that's okay: the gardener laughs and everyone keeps going.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child creeps forward slowly in the wheelchair and freezes with arms and head.
• Visual impairment: the gardener claps loudly when turning around and again when looking back at the garden.
• Autism: make it clear from the start that no one is out or loses, and keep the same structure every round.

Learning goals

• Control the body while moving in slow motion.
• Stop movement instantly on a visual cue.
• Enjoy a calm game without competing.

Teacher tip

Even though it looks like Red Light, Green Light, no one is ever out: if someone moves, the gardener says "What a wiggly slug!" and keeps going. It works great right after a high-energy game.

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