Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Turn Around
Without a jump rope, kids act out the traditional jump-rope rhyme "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear": turn around, touch the ground, show your shoe and more. It warms up the whole body with chained directions.
How to play
- Everyone becomes a teddy bear in their own spot (1 min).
- The teacher says and models each line: turn around, touch the ground, show your shoe… (1 min).
- Do the whole rhyme together with gentle bounces between actions (2 min).
- Repeat faster and add "go upstairs" climbing imaginary stairs (1 min).
- End with "say good night" and curl up like sleepy bears for a moment (1 min).
Rules
- Each bear stays in their own spot.
- Listen to the action, then do it.
- Bounce softly like a squishy teddy.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, no bounces and just four lines.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, bounce between actions and do the full rhyme.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, partners take turns calling the action and doing it.
Adaptations
- Seated children do the actions with arms and torso: twist, reach to the floor.
- For autistic children, use picture cards for each action in order.
- For hard-of-hearing kids, face them and pair each line with its gesture.
Learning goals
- Follow motor directions in sequence.
- Warm up with turns, bends and bounces.
- Connect English words to actions.
Teacher tip
It's a jump-rope rhyme, but no rope needed—just soft bounces in place. Say each line with a gesture before they do it.
PatioLab has "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Turn Around" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
More activities like this
More warm-ups for Elementary
«Ahora que Vamos Despacio»: The Silly-Fibs Stroll
We stroll very slowly singing the traditional Spanish song «Ahora que vamos despacio» («Now that we're going slowly, let's tell some fibs»), and on each «tralará» we…
«El Cocherito Leré»: The Hopping Carriage
We're carriages trotting around the yard, and on every «leré» in the traditional Spanish song «El cocherito leré» («the little coachman») we jump with feet together.
«Sal de Ahí, Chivita»: The Get-Out-Little-Goat Chain
The little goat won't leave the field, so in this traditional Spanish cumulative song we call the wolf, the dog, the stick, the fire, the water and the ox.
A Bandage Where I'm Tagged
A few children tag holding a scarf; anyone tagged puts on a “bandage” by placing a hand exactly where they were touched and keeps running that way, and after a second…
A Walk Through the Pole Forest
We stand plastic poles upright in cones with holes and the playground becomes a forest of tall trees.
Achoo, Into Your Elbow!
Children move around like animals and when the teacher goes “Ah… ah… achoo!”, they stop and hide their face in their elbow as if sneezing or coughing.