The Jumping Animal Fair

Set up four fair booths, each with a jumping animal: kangaroos jump far, frogs jump from a crouch, bunnies take little hops, and fleas hop super fast. Children visit every booth imitating each animal's jump.

How to play

1. Show the four cards and try each animal jump together (3 min).
2. Explain the booths: kangaroo between two ropes, frog from hoop to hoop, bunny between cones, and flea in place (2 min).
3. Small groups at each booth; play and switch to the next one when you hear a clap (8 min).
4. Each child picks a favorite animal and jumps around the fair like it (2 min).
5. Pack up the fair: each animal carries its equipment to the bin (1 min).

Rules

• At each booth, I jump like the animal on the card.
• I wait for my friend to finish before I jump.
• When I hear the clap, I walk to the next booth.
• Nobody wins—we all visit every booth.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: at each booth, the child imitates the animal with their arms or moves through the course in their wheelchair.
• Autism: a card showing the sequence of the four booths, always in the same order.
• Visual impairment: a buddy leads by the hand and the teacher describes the equipment at each booth.

Learning goals

• Practice different kinds of jumps.
• Imitate animal movements.
• Rotate through stations.

Equipment for a class of 25

• hoops: 6
• jump ropes: 4
• cones: 8
• animal picture cards: 4

Teacher tip

Tape the animal card to a cone at each booth so kids don't have to remember. Switch about every 2 minutes. If there's another adult, station them at the frog booth—it's the hardest one.

More main activities for Elementary