The Story of the King Who Kept Sitting Down

The teacher tells a made-up story about a king who kept sitting down and standing up, and every time the children hear “sit down” or “stand up” they do it at their chair. It works on careful listening, reaction and leg strength through pretend play.

How to play

1. Each child faces the teacher with their chair; practice: “Sit down” and down you go, “Stand up” and rise like a king (1 min).
2. The teacher tells it slowly: “Once upon a time a king went to sit down on his throne… but he saw a mouse and had to stand up…” (3 min).
3. Add another magic word: whenever “crown” comes up, walk once around your chair with your hands on your head (3 min).
4. The story speeds up: the king sits and stands very fast, then very slow, and everyone follows (2 min).
5. The 5-year-olds make up part of the story with the magic words for the others to act out (2 min).
6. The end: the king sits on his throne and falls asleep, and so does everyone (1 min).

Rules

• I only sit or stand when I hear the word.
• I sit all the way back, no plopping down.
• If I make a mistake, I laugh and keep playing.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: from their wheelchair, arms go up for “stand up” and down for “sit down.”
• Hearing impairment: the teacher holds up pictures of the king sitting and standing at the right moment.
• Autism: tell the story exactly the same way the first few times so they can anticipate it.

Learning goals

• React to key words within a story.
• Build leg strength by sitting and standing with control.
• Enjoy pretend play through a story.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Chairs: 25

Teacher tip

Write the story on a card with the key words underlined so you don't lose track. The usual mistake is dropping into the chair hard, so teach them to lower down slowly “like a fancy king.”

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