The Vet Fixes Sore Paws

Children are animals with a sore paw who must move without using it until the vet (a classmate) bandages it and makes it better. It builds moving on different body supports, balance and empathy for those who move differently.

How to play

1. The teacher says the vet’s clinic is full of animals and shows how to walk like a puppy on all fours (2 min).
2. Everyone is a puppy walking on all fours; on the drum, the teacher names the sore paw and we lift it: walk on three supports (3 min).
3. In pairs: one is the hurt animal, the other is the vet who walks with them, ties a scarf bandage on the paw and says “All better!” (3 min).
4. The healed animal celebrates by running and jumping on two feet; then roles switch (2 min).
5. More animals: a bird with a hurt wing hops on one foot with one arm tucked in; a kangaroo with a sore tail jumps with no hands (2 min).
6. Recovery room: all animals lie down and the vet comes by to take off the bandage (1 min).

Rules

• We help the hurt animal slowly.
• The bandage is tied loosely.
• When a paw hurts, we don’t use it.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child is always the vet and guides by voice, or the hurt animal simply doesn’t use one arm.
• Autism: the child can choose not to be bandaged and just be the vet.
• Hearing impairment: show a card with the sore paw along with the drum.

Learning goals

• Move on different body supports.
• Balance with fewer supports.
• Help and care for a classmate.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Scarves: 15
• Hand drum: 1

Teacher tip

Protect knees on concrete: play on a soft surface or use knee pads. Afterward, talk about how some people move in other ways and still play.

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