Spring Wakes the Sleeping Forest

Children are a forest asleep from the winter cold until Spring touches them and they wake up as flowers, birds or butterflies, who then wake everyone else. It works the contrast between stillness and movement and body expression for the arrival of spring.

How to play

1. We are the winter forest: each child chooses to be a curled-up seed or a still tree, shivering, eyes closed (2 min).
2. The teacher is Spring, holding a green scarf: a gentle tap on the shoulder wakes a plant, which opens like a flower and starts dancing slowly (2 min).
3. The awake flowers become Spring too: they tap anyone still asleep until the whole forest is moving like flowers, birds or butterflies (3 min).
4. A winter drum beat sounds: the whole forest falls asleep again; the teacher hands green scarves to new children who will be Spring (3 min).
5. Big spring party: the whole awake forest dances together and ends by opening their arms to the sun (2 min).

Rules

• We wake friends with a gentle tap on the shoulder.
• While asleep, stay still with eyes closed.
• Once awake, look for someone still sleeping.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child sleeps and wakes in the wheelchair using their arms, and can be Spring moving through the forest with support.
• Visual impairment: the child doesn’t have to close their eyes, and Spring says their name before touching them.
• Autism: if touch is uncomfortable, wake the child by holding the green scarf in front of them without touching.

Learning goals

• Move from complete stillness to expressive movement.
• Show with the body how nature changes in spring.
• Care for classmates with gentle touch.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Green scarves: 4
• Hand drum: 1

Teacher tip

It fits perfectly with a school spring festival or a preschool spring parade. Explain and practice the gentle tap first, since some children wake friends with a slap.

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