The Autumn Wind Blows the Leaves

Children shake the parachute like the autumn wind to blow off the "leaves" (fabric beanbags), then run to pick them up and put them in the baskets matching their spot's color. It builds arm strength, running and color sorting.

How to play

1. The teacher spreads the beanbags on the fabric and explains they are autumn leaves fallen from the tree (2 min).
2. Gentle wind: move the fabric slowly so the leaves dance without falling off (2 min).
3. Strong wind: shake hard until all the leaves fly off the parachute (2 min).
4. Let go of the fabric and everyone collects leaves around the yard, carrying them one at a time to the basket of their color (3 min).
5. Put the leaves back on the fabric and do it again: gentle wind, strong wind, collect (3 min).
6. The wind calms down: with an empty fabric, make slower and slower waves (2 min).

Rules

• Leaves fly off with the wind, not with our hands.
• Pick them up one at a time, no grabbing from others.
• Each leaf goes in the basket of its color.
• When the teacher says "Wind!", come back to the fabric.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a child in a wheelchair stays by the baskets, receives the leaves and checks they're in the right one.
• Autism: give the child one specific basket to be in charge of.
• Visual impairment: use beanbags with a different texture for each color and pair the child with a classmate to collect them.

Learning goals

• Adjust arm strength to move objects.
• Run and pick up objects without bumping.
• Sort objects by color cooperatively.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Rainbow parachute: 1
• Fabric beanbags: 25
• Basket: 4

Teacher tip

Use big, well-sewn beanbags with no loose filling that could come out. If you don't have colored baskets, put a colored scarf in each box.

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