Stretchy Superpower: Tall and Tiny

Children have a stretchy superpower: they stretch up to touch ribbons hanging high and shrink down to pass under low ropes without touching them. They explore their body in space, heights and flexibility.

How to play

1. The teacher shows the course: ribbons hanging from high ropes and low ropes tied between chairs (2 min).
2. Practice the power: "Stretch!" means up on tiptoe with arms high; "Shrink!" means a little ball on the floor (2 min).
3. Go through the course: stretch to touch the ribbons and crawl or slither under the low ropes without touching (4 min).
4. Change the rope heights and each child decides whether to crawl, squat-walk or slither (2 min).
5. Rubber superheroes: walk around taking one very tall step and one very small, low step (1 min).
6. Finish by stretching and shrinking very slowly, like a tired rubber band (1 min).

Rules

• I stretch way up to touch the ribbon, without jumping on anyone.
• Don't touch the low ropes: I make myself small.
• I wait until the child ahead has passed the rope.
• If I touch the rope, that's OK: I try again.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: hang ribbons at arm's reach from the wheelchair and set ropes high enough to pass by ducking the head.
• Visual impairment: hang bells on the ropes so they jingle when touched, with spoken cues from the adult.
• Autism: go through the course first with the teacher leading and mark the route with arrows on the floor.

Learning goals

• Adjust body posture to different heights.
• Tell high from low and big from small.
• Make choices about how to get past an obstacle.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Jump ropes: 4
• Colored ribbons: 10
• Chairs: 8

Teacher tip

Tie the ropes with knots that slip loose if someone pulls hard, so chairs don't tip over. Many kids go under the low rope with their head up and hit it; remind them to "look at the floor and be a turtle."

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