The Mechanic Switches On Their Robot
In pairs, one child is a switched-off robot and the other is the mechanic who presses buttons on the robot's body: each button starts up one part until the whole robot walks and dances. It builds body awareness and a gradual warm-up with a partner.
How to play
- The teacher shows their switched-off robot: touch the shoulder and the arms move, the knee and the legs move, the nose and the head moves (1 min).
- In pairs, the robot stands still like a statue and the mechanic presses the shoulder button: the robot moves its arms (1 min).
- The mechanic presses the knee and then the nose: the robot moves more and more parts at once (1 min).
- The tummy button turns the whole robot on, and it walks around the room saying “beep, beep” (1 min).
- Switch roles: the robot becomes the mechanic and we go through all the buttons again (2 min).
Rules
- Press buttons with one finger, nice and gentle.
- The robot waits still until someone presses a button.
- Robots that are on walk without bumping into other robots.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, the teacher is everyone's mechanic and presses the buttons on their own body for the children to copy.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, in pairs with three buttons: shoulder, knee and nose.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, the mechanic invents a new button (elbow, ankle, ear) and the robot decides what that part does.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the robot switches on while seated, and the buttons start the arms, head and trunk.
- Autism: the teacher checks first whether touch is OK; if not, the mechanic presses the button in the air near that body part.
- Visual impairment: the mechanic says which button they are pressing before touching.
Learning goals
- Name and find body parts.
- Warm up the body step by step, from one part to the whole body.
- Look after a partner with gentle touch.
Teacher tip
Draw a pretend button on your shoulder with your finger and make the “click” sound with your voice; kids love it and copy it right away. The typical mistake is the robot turning fully on with the first button, so remind them each button wakes up only its own part.
PatioLab has "The Mechanic Switches On Their Robot" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
More activities like this
More warm-ups for Elementary
«Ahora que Vamos Despacio»: The Silly-Fibs Stroll
We stroll very slowly singing the traditional Spanish song «Ahora que vamos despacio» («Now that we're going slowly, let's tell some fibs»), and on each «tralará» we…
«El Cocherito Leré»: The Hopping Carriage
We're carriages trotting around the yard, and on every «leré» in the traditional Spanish song «El cocherito leré» («the little coachman») we jump with feet together.
«Sal de Ahí, Chivita»: The Get-Out-Little-Goat Chain
The little goat won't leave the field, so in this traditional Spanish cumulative song we call the wolf, the dog, the stick, the fire, the water and the ox.
A Bandage Where I'm Tagged
A few children tag holding a scarf; anyone tagged puts on a “bandage” by placing a hand exactly where they were touched and keeps running that way, and after a second…
A Walk Through the Pole Forest
We stand plastic poles upright in cones with holes and the playground becomes a forest of tall trees.
Achoo, Into Your Elbow!
Children move around like animals and when the teacher goes “Ah… ah… achoo!”, they stop and hide their face in their elbow as if sneezing or coughing.