The Jumping Imp Dances Around the Fire

With the jumping imp from the Grimm tale Rumpelstiltskin, children jump in many ways around hoop campfires while chanting a made-up rhyme. It builds jumping, rhythm and changes of direction.

How to play

1. The teacher tells how a jumpy little imp danced around a campfire singing his secret name. Make campfires from hoops with red scarves inside (2 min).
2. Jump around the campfires like the imp: feet together, hopping on one foot, frog jumps, following the drum (3 min).
3. The teacher sings a made-up chant: “Jump, jump, round we go, no one knows my name, oh no!” On the last “no” we do a big jump out of or into the hoop, as the teacher says (4 min).
4. Taking turns, a child says a silly secret name and everyone jumps that many times or in the way they suggest (3 min).
5. The fire goes out: the scarves float to the floor and the imps sit down to warm their hands (2 min).

Rules

• We jump around the hoop, not on the rim.
• A small group fits at each campfire.
• When the drum stops, we stop and listen.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child circles the campfire in a wheelchair and marks the jumps with the arms or by bouncing a scarf.
• Hearing impairment: mark the final jump by tossing a scarf in the air.
• Less confident movers: jump with feet together in place, holding a friend's hand.

Learning goals

• Jump in different ways.
• Match jumps to the rhythm of a chant.
• Change direction when circling.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Hoops: 6
• Red and orange scarves: 12
• Hand drum: 1

Teacher tip

Lots of jumps in a row tire them out, so mix in walking dance steps. Skip the part of the tale about the firstborn baby; the secret name is enough.

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