The Shoemaker's Elves

Inspired by the classic fairy tale, children are elves who, at night, tiptoe shoes (scarves) over to the shoemaker's shop without waking him up. It works on walking on tiptoe, body control and moving quietly.

How to play

1. We tell the story of the poor shoemaker and the elves who helped him at night; the teacher lies down in a corner as the sleeping shoemaker (2 min).
2. We practice elf steps: on tiptoe, knees slightly bent and arms out like wings so we make no noise (2 min).
3. Each elf picks up a shoe (a scarf) from the workshop and tiptoes it over to a hoop, the shop shelf (3 min).
4. If the shoemaker rolls over in his sleep and snores loudly, the elves freeze like statues until he falls back asleep (3 min).
5. At the end we deliver shoes walking backward on tiptoe so we don't leave footprints (2 min).
6. The shoemaker wakes up, sees all the shoes, and the elves celebrate with a silent dance (2 min).

Rules

• Elves always walk on tiptoe.
• Carry one shoe at a time.
• If the shoemaker snores, freeze.
• Nobody makes noise with their feet.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: in a wheelchair, the elf makes the trip slowly and quietly, which is what counts in the game.
• Hearing impairment: when the shoemaker rolls over, they also raise an arm high so the freeze is easy to see.
• Less coordination: they can mix a few tiptoe steps with steps on the whole foot.

Learning goals

• Walk on tiptoe along a route.
• Stop and hold a position on a signal.
• Control how hard they step so they stay quiet.

Equipment for a class of 25

• play scarves: 25
• hoops: 6

Teacher tip

Dim the lights if you can; the nighttime mood does most of the work. Don't let the shoemaker "catch" anyone: he just rolls over and goes back to sleep.

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