The Traveling Teddy Stays Where You Say

Each child takes a stuffed animal on a trip and places it inside, outside, on top of, under, in front of, or behind furniture and boxes around the room. They practice spatial concepts by handling objects and using words.

How to play

1. Each child picks a stuffed animal that's going on a trip around the room; the teacher has spread chairs and open boxes around the classroom (1 min).
2. We walk around carrying our teddy; the teacher says "Teddy inside a box!" and each child puts it in a box and stands beside it (3 min).
3. We keep going with more spots: on top of a chair, under the table, outside the box, next to the door, behind the curtain (4 min).
4. In pairs, one child tells where the other's teddy goes and checks it: "Your bear goes under the chair" (4 min).
5. At the end, every teddy goes home: all inside the big basket, and we cover it gently (2 min).

Rules

• We carry the teddy kindly; we don't toss it.
• I put it where the teacher says and stay nearby.
• If the box is full, I find another one.
• When my partner tells me, I listen to the whole thing.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: put the spots within reach of the wheelchair, or a classmate places the teddy following the child's directions.
• Autism: give each instruction with a position picture card and let the child always use a favorite teddy.
• Hearing loss: the teacher shows the position with a teddy while saying it.

Learning goals

• Place objects according to a given position.
• Understand and use position words.
• Listen to and give directions to a partner.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Stuffed animals: 25
• Cardboard boxes: 4
• Chairs: 6

Teacher tip

Ask families to send in a named stuffed animal a few days ahead. To avoid fights over the same box, set out more boxes than there are groups of five.

More activities like this

More main activities for Elementary