The Speckled Hen and Her Chicks
A counting rhyme picks the hen, who walks around the outside of the circle and leaves an egg behind a friend; whoever finds it becomes a chick and joins the line, with no chasing and no one out. It builds attention, walking in a line, and everyone ending up as part of the group.
How to play
- Sitting in a circle, learn the counting rhyme: "Speckled hen, lay an egg, lay it here and lay it there, one, two, three, the hen is... you!" The teacher taps heads and the first hen is chosen (2 min).
- The hen walks around the outside saying "cluck, cluck," flapping her wings, and leaves the egg (beanbag) behind a friend; everyone keeps looking at the middle (2 min).
- When the hen comes all the way around again, she calls "cluck, cluck, look behind!"; the friend feels behind their back, picks up the egg and lines up behind the hen as a chick (3 min).
- Now the last chick leaves the egg; the line grows longer and changes how it walks: tiny steps, little hops, flapping wings (3 min).
- When everyone is a chick, the hen leads the line around until it closes into a circle, and we all sit down to sleep in the nest (2 min).
Rules
- The hen leaves the egg and doesn't run: no one gets caught here.
- We look at the middle, no peeking behind.
- Chicks hold the friend's shirt gently or just follow without holding.
- In the end, we're all chicks.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, the teacher is the hen at first and the chicks follow without holding on.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, the rhyme picks the hen and the line grows one by one.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, two hens with two eggs make two lines that join into one circle at the end.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the line walks slowly, and a child in a wheelchair can be the hen who sets the pace.
- Autism: use the same phrase "cluck, cluck, look behind!" every time so the egg doesn't come as a surprise.
- Hearing impairment: the hen gently taps the friend's shoulder when leaving the egg, not just calling out.
Learning goals
- Walk in a line, matching pace with classmates.
- Stay focused without seeing what happens behind you.
- Enjoy a counting-out game where everyone ends up in the group.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Beanbag: 1
Teacher tip
Use a large, soft beanbag that won't roll. The typical mistake is the friend running after the hen out of habit from other games: explain beforehand that here the chick walks.
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