The Fish on a Stick Goes Up and Down

The teacher moves around the space holding a paper fish on a stick, and the children, like a school of fish, follow it with their eyes and bodies: when it goes up, they swim on tiptoe; when it goes down, they swim crouched. They practice tracking at different heights and using space levels.

How to play

1. We meet the leader fish and look at it closely: where its eyes are, its tail, and what color it is (1 min).
2. With music, the teacher moves the fish in front of the children, who follow it with just their eyes from where they are (2 min).
3. Now the school of fish swims behind the leader: when it goes up, we swim on tiptoe with arms up; when it goes down, we swim crouched (3 min).
4. The fish turns, hides behind the teacher and pops out on the other side; the little fish look for it and swim toward it (3 min).
5. The fish goes to sleep at the bottom of the sea and we all lie down slowly on the floor (1 min).

Rules

• Watch the leader fish the whole time.
• Swim without bumping into other fish.
• When the fish goes down, we go down; when it goes up, we go up.

Variations

Adaptations

• Child who uses a wheelchair: follows the fish with their arms (up and down) and moves at their own pace.
• Child with low vision: use a big, bright fish with bells on its tail.
• Autistic child: can carry the leader fish for one round, with the teacher alongside.

Learning goals

• Visually track an object that changes height.
• Move at high, middle and low levels.
• Move as a group following a leader.

Equipment for a class of 25

• pez de cartulina en un palo: 1
• música

Teacher tip

Make a big fish, about 12 inches long, taped to a short broom handle with padded ends. Move it slowly and exaggerate the ups and downs.

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