The Traveling Hat Carnival Band

At Carnival, children parade in bands of five in a line: whoever wears the hat invents a move and the others copy it, and when the music stops the hat travels to the next child. It builds imitation, body expression and respecting whose turn it is to lead.

How to play

1. Explain that at Carnival people dress up and parade in dancing groups; make lines of five and the first child puts on the hat (2 min).
2. The teacher is the first band leader for everyone, doing simple moves like marching, jumping or waving arms, and everyone copies (2 min).
3. Bands: with the music, the child in the hat invents a move and the line copies it while parading around the playground (3 min).
4. When the music stops, the hat passes back and the leader goes to the end of the line, until everyone has worn the hat (4 min).
5. Big band: all the lines hook up into one long parade led by the teacher with the last invented move (2 min).
6. Bow to the crowd and tip a pretend hat (1 min).

Rules

• The hat wearer is in charge.
• Copy without passing the child ahead.
• Pass the hat gently with your hands.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the band matches the wheelchair’s speed and the child’s moves can use arms, head and trunk.
• Hearing loss: signal the music stop by holding up a hat.
• Autism: the child can pass on leading or lead with a familiar move from a picture card.

Learning goals

• Copy a partner’s movements while traveling.
• Invent and share a move of their own.
• Respect turns as leader and follower.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Hats: 5
• Music

Teacher tip

Caps, straw hats or paper hats made in class all work. Some children freeze when it’s their turn to lead; quietly offer them two choices.

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