The Kite Runs Out of Wind

Children are kites flying around the space with arms spread while the music plays; as the wind dies down, they glide more slowly, drift down in gentle turns and land on the floor. It works on gradually lowering energy and body control.

How to play

1. Spread your arms: we're colorful kites and the teacher, holding a pretend string, makes us fly around the space to the music (1 min).
2. The wind blows less and the kite glides slowly, raising and lowering its arms like wings (1 min).
3. There's hardly any wind: turn slow little circles as we drift down bit by bit (1 min).
4. The kite lands: sit down, then lie down with arms open (1 min).
5. The teacher reels in each kite's string while walking past, and we stay still listening to the music (1 min).

Rules

• I fly without bumping other kites.
• When the wind drops, I slow down.
• I land gently on the floor.
• A kite lying down doesn't move.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: flies with the arms from a chair or wheelchair, slowing down like everyone else.
• Hearing loss: the teacher raises or lowers a scarf to show how much wind there is.
• Visual impairment: flies in place and lands with a classmate's help.

Learning goals

• Gradually reduce movement intensity.
• Move around the space with control.
• Settle into rest step by step.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Music

Teacher tip

Lower the music volume little by little so kids feel the wind without words. Keep the turns slow; spinning fast makes them dizzy: "Kites with no wind turn slowly."

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