The Town Square Fountain Goes Glug-Glug
In groups of six, four children form the round basin of a fountain and two are the water jets rising and falling in the middle, changing with the faucet the teacher opens. It builds movement control, expression and cooperating in a shape.
How to play
- Talk about a town square fountain: the round basin and the water jets in the middle (1 min).
- In groups of six, four kneel holding hands as the basin and two are the jets, crouched in the middle (2 min).
- "Turn on the water!": the jets rise slowly with a "psssh" and fall wiggling their fingers, "drip, drip"; the basin rocks, going "glug-glug" (3 min).
- The teacher changes the water: a tiny trickle, a giant jet, and a frozen fountain! (2 min).
- Switch roles so everyone gets to be a jet (3 min).
- The fountain shuts off: the water slowly goes down and stays still (1 min).
Rules
- The basin keeps holding hands.
- The jet goes up and down without leaving the fountain.
- When the fountain freezes, everyone is still.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, one big fountain: the whole class is the basin and the teacher picks two jets each time.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, fountains of six with all three kinds of water.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, the jets rise one after the other, like a dancing fountain, and the basin makes waves by passing the movement along.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the child is a jet from their wheelchair, raising and lowering their arms.
- Hearing loss: the faucet is the teacher's hand: open, the water rises; fist, the fountain freezes.
- Autism: the child can start in the basin, which has a repeated, predictable movement.
Learning goals
- Control the speed and size of a movement.
- Represent something from the neighborhood as a group.
- Coordinate with classmates to make a shape.
Teacher tip
If there's a fountain in your town or neighborhood, show a photo: kids love it. The jets tend to jump; remind them that water rises by stretching up, feet staying on the ground.
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