The Scarf Travels Around Me
Children pass their scarf from hand to hand around their waist, between their legs and over their heads, as if the scarf were taking a trip around their body. It loosens up the joints and works on two-handed coordination and the ideas of front, back, up and down.
How to play
- Standing apart, say hi to the scarf and tell it that today it's going on a trip around our body (1 min).
- The scarf circles the waist: pass it from the front hand to the back hand without dropping it, one direction and then the other (1 min).
- The scarf goes through the tunnel: with legs apart, pass it hand to hand between the legs and around one knee (1 min).
- The scarf climbs the mountain: pass it hand to hand over your head and bring it down behind your back (1 min).
- On a drum beat, hand your scarf to the classmate next to you and continue the trip with the new one (1 min).
- The scarf gets tired: stretch it overhead with both hands, lean to one side and the other, then fold it up (1 min).
Rules
- The scarf goes from one hand to the other, no throwing.
- If it falls, pick it up and keep traveling.
- The scarf never goes around your neck.
- On the drum, swap scarves with your neighbor.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, only the trip around the waist and over the head, slowly, copying the teacher.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, the whole trip plus the swap with a classmate.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, the scarf makes a figure eight between the legs, and children try the trip while walking.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the child does the trip seated, around one arm, around the waist leaning forward from the backrest, and over the head.
- Less dexterity: use a bigger scarf or piece of fabric that's easier to grip.
- Autism: keep the trip in the same order every time and give a heads-up about the swap before the drum sounds.
Learning goals
- Gently loosen up waist, shoulders and hips.
- Coordinate both hands passing an object around the body.
- Experience front, back, up and down with their own body.
Equipment for a class of 25
- fabric scarves: 25
- hand drum
Teacher tip
Face the group and do the trip yourself slowly, telling it like a story. The waist loop is the hardest part: let them go slowly even if the scarf drops.
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