The Bats Come Out at Night

Children are bats who sleep in a cave, fly out when night falls, and find their way by sound. It builds listening skills, spatial awareness and responding to signals.

How to play

1. The teacher explains that bats sleep upside down in a cave; we bend over and let our head and arms hang toward our feet for a moment, then curl up hugging our knees (2 min).
2. The teacher dims the lights: it's nighttime! The bats fly out with their wings spread wide (arms out) without bumping into anyone (3 min).
3. Echo time: the teacher claps or taps the drum from a corner and the bats fly toward the sound; then the teacher moves and they search again (3 min).
4. The bats squeak "eee" as they fly, and when the teacher says "Wall!", they turn and change direction as if they sensed the rock (2 min).
5. The teacher turns the lights on: it's morning! We go back to the cave (mats in a corner), hang together, and fall asleep wrapped in our wings (3 min).

Rules

• We fly with open wings without touching another bat.
• When the echo sounds, we walk toward it, no running.
• When the light comes on, we go back to the cave.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a child in a wheelchair flies with the arms, and a classmate pushes the chair toward the echo if needed.
• Hearing impairment: instead of sound, the teacher switches on a flashlight at the echo spot.
• Autism: never make the room fully dark, and give a heads-up before changing the lights.

Learning goals

• Locate where a sound comes from.
• Move through space avoiding others.
• Respond to light and sound signals.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Hand drum: 1
• Mats: 2

Teacher tip

Test beforehand how much you can dim the lights without kids getting lost. The usual mistake is flying with arms tucked in; open wings also help them keep their distance.

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