The Sleeping Witch's Enchanted Forest
A movement story where the class sneaks through an enchanted forest without waking a sleepy witch. Kids switch between moving and freezing like trees, building self-control, listening to sound cues and practicing different ways to travel.
How to play
- Sitting circle (2 min). Say: 'Old Witch Beetroot is asleep in the forest. If she sees us move, she turns us into bunnies!' Teach the cues: soft tambourine taps = snoring; one loud bang = she wakes up.
- Spread fabric pieces on the floor as mud puddles. Kids scatter and tiptoe while the soft taps play: 'Jump over the puddles, don't step in them!' (3 min).
- Loud bang: 'She's waking up!' Everyone freezes like a tree, arms up. Walk around looking; tap anyone who moves on the shoulder: 'Abracadabra, bunny!' Bunnies keep playing, hopping with feet together (3 min).
- Add new story parts between wake-ups: crawl like foxes, walk low like mushrooms, walk tall like storks (3 min).
- The good fairy arrives: pick one child, drape a fabric cape on them, and they tap the bunnies: 'Be a kid again!' Change fairies twice (2 min).
- Ending: the witch falls fast asleep. Everyone leaves the forest in slow motion and sits in a circle (1 min).
Rules
- Nobody is out: bunnies keep playing.
- Jump over the puddles; don't step on the fabric so you don't slip.
- Move without touching anyone and without running.
- On the loud bang, freeze right where you are.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, warn 'She's about to wake up!' before the loud bang.
Standard
Play as written with three or four wake-ups.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, freeze on one foot or in the pose you call out.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: be a tree with the arms and take a turn as the fairy from a chair.
- Autism: preview the story with pictures and give a heads-up before each loud bang.
- More skilled kids invent the next way to move; less skilled kids hold the teacher's hand.
Learning goals
- Stop moving on a sound cue.
- Explore tiptoeing, crawling and low walking.
- Enjoy pretend play with no fear of being out.
Equipment for a class of 25
- hand drum (tambourine): 1
- fabric pieces: 8
Teacher tip
Use a sleepy witch voice and overdo the snoring; they love it. If anyone gets scared, remind them she's a silly, forgetful witch and the fairy always helps.
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