«Tengo una Muñeca»: Dress, Stroll and Sneeze

We sing the traditional Spanish song «Tengo una muñeca vestida de azul» («I have a doll dressed in blue») and each line has its gesture: little shoes, a lace collar, a stroll, a cold and bed. At the end we clap the counting part («two and two are four»). It works on body expression, caring and rhythm.

How to play

1. Sitting in a circle, learn the moves: touch feet (little shoes), touch chest (shirt and collar), rock your arms (stroll), sneeze, and head on hands (bed) (2 min).
2. Standing up, sing the whole song with the moves (2 min).
3. Take the doll for a stroll: walk around the room rocking an imaginary doll and freeze on the sneeze (2 min).
4. On «two and two are four, four and two are six» clap and hop while counting (2 min).
5. In pairs, one is the doll and the other dresses it by gently touching feet and shoulders, walks it by the hand and tucks it in; then switch (3 min).
6. All the dolls go to sleep lying on the floor (1 min).

Rules

• Do the move when the song says it.
• Treat my doll very gently.
• On the stroll, walk without bumping.
• When I'm the doll, I let my partner lead.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: everything with arms and trunk from the chair; in pairs they can always be the one who dresses.
• Autism or touch sensitivity: in pairs, dress without touching, miming in the air next to the partner.
• Hearing impairment: the teacher exaggerates the moves and uses a real doll to show them.

Learning goals

• Act out a song's words with gestures.
• Care for and respect a partner's body.
• Keep the beat with claps and hops.

Teacher tip

If there's a class doll, use it only to demo the moves and then put it away, or everyone will want it. The counting part is long; cut it wherever you see them getting lost.

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