Taps on My Shoulder, Jumps on the Floor
In pairs, one child closes their eyes and the other gives gentle taps on their shoulder; the receiver counts how many they felt and does that many jumps. It builds tactile perception, attention, counting and jumping.
How to play
- The teacher taps a child's shoulder twice and the child jumps twice; repeat with three (1 min).
- In pairs, one stands with their back turned and eyes closed while the other gives one to three gentle one-finger taps (3 min).
- The receiver says the number and jumps that many times; if right, they high-five (2 min).
- Switch roles (3 min).
- With the drum, the teacher plays beats and the whole group jumps together, counting aloud (3 min).
Rules
- Taps are gentle, with one finger, on the shoulder.
- Jumpers jump in place.
- Wait for your friend to finish counting before tapping again.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, one or two taps and two-foot jumps, eyes open.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, up to three taps with eyes closed.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, up to five taps; taps on the right shoulder mean right-foot hops, on the left shoulder, left-foot hops.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: claps or taps on the table instead of jumps.
- Hearing loss: the game is tactile and accessible; signal role changes with a gesture.
- Autism or touch aversion: taps go on the back of the hand, which the child offers when ready.
Learning goals
- Count sensations felt on the skin.
- Jump the number of times given.
- Take turns with a partner.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Hand drum: 1
Teacher tip
Teach slow, well-spaced taps, or they blur together and nobody gets it right. It's a great way to practice numbers 1 to 5 without worksheets.
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