The Swan Glides Across the Lake

Wrapping up the ugly duckling story, children become swans who glide, breathe with their wings and preen with a feather. It builds breath control, slow movement and calm.

How to play

1. The teacher recalls how the ugly duckling became a beautiful swan. Spread out the blue cloth: it's the lake, and we sit around it (1 min).
2. We're swans: standing, we slowly open our arms like wings as we breathe in and lower them as we breathe out, gliding around the lake with soft little steps (2 min).
3. Each swan gets a feather: blow on it gently so it floats on the hand, then brush it over arms and face as if preening (2 min).
4. Sit on the shore and dip our feet into the cool pretend water: wiggle them slowly, then let them go still (1 min).
5. The swans fall asleep: sitting, head resting on a wing (arm) and the feather on the tummy, rising and falling with each breath (1 min).

Rules

• Swans move very slowly.
• We blow the feather gently.
• At the end, each swan rests in its spot.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: wings and feather from the wheelchair, with the lake brought close.
• Visual impairment: the child feels the air of the breath on their hand and the feather on their skin.
• Autism or touch sensitivity: let the child choose whether to brush the feather on their skin or just blow it.

Learning goals

• Control breathing and blowing.
• Move slowly and smoothly.
• Calm down with a pleasant image.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Large blue cloth: 1
• Large feathers: 25

Teacher tip

Use large craft feathers and collect them at the end so none end up in mouths. Speak more and more quietly: the lake goes silent.

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