The Giant Lotería Board
A giant nine-square lotería board with pictures is drawn on the playground; when the caller sings out a card, the whole group goes to that square moving like the picture and covers it with a hoop, until the board is full and everyone shouts "¡Lotería!" together. It builds orientation in a big space, running and whole-group teamwork.
How to play
- Sit around the giant board the teacher chalked before class: a big 3 x 3 grid with a lotería picture in each square: the moon, the fish, the tree, the deer, the star, the spider, the water jug, the rose and the sun (1 min).
- Walk around the giant board together as the teacher names each square and shows a move: the fish swims, the deer leaps, the spider crawls on all fours, the tree stands still with arms up… (3 min).
- Everyone waits outside the board. The caller sings a card, such as the star, "the sailors' guide!", and the whole group goes to that square moving like the picture (6 min).
- One child covers the square with a hoop and the group goes back outside. When every square is covered, we shout "¡Lotería!" together and start a new board with a new way of moving (2 min).
- To finish, each child sits in their favorite square and the class names all nine pictures out loud (2 min).
Rules
- We travel to the square moving like the picture, not just running.
- In the square we make room so everyone fits.
- The board belongs to the whole group, so we shout "¡Lotería!" together.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, use a 2 x 2 board with four very familiar pictures, and the teacher goes with the group to each square.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, a 3 x 3 board with the whole group together.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, draw two giant boards with half the group on each; the card called may be on one board, the other, or both.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: make the squares big enough for the wheelchair, with a friend who goes along doing the picture's move with their arms.
- Visual impairment: draw large, high-contrast pictures and have a friend lead the child by the hand to the square.
- Autism: give the child a small card of the board to see which squares are still uncovered.
Learning goals
- Find your way around a big grid drawn on the ground.
- Work with the whole group to complete the board.
- Learn pictures and sayings from Mexican lotería.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Sidewalk chalk: 4
- Large lotería cards: 9
- Hoops: 9
Teacher tip
Draw the board before the kids come outside; nine pictures take a few minutes. Card sayings vary from family to family, so if a child knows a different one, sing that too.
PatioLab has "The Giant Lotería Board" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
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