Three Floors to Wake Up: Mat, Chair or Standing

Each child chooses which "floor" to warm up from: lying on a mat, sitting in a chair, or standing, and everyone follows the same moves together. It builds a head-to-toe warm-up and the idea that every way of moving counts.

How to play

1. Set up three zones with a picture each: mats (floor), chairs (chair) and open space (standing); each child picks a floor (1 min).
2. Wake up the head: nod yes and shake no very slowly, like an owl looking around (1 min).
3. Shoulders and arms: lift shoulders up to the ears, drop them, then make big arm circles (1 min).
4. Trunk: stretch up tall like a tree and let the wind bend us side to side (1 min).
5. Legs and feet: pedal on the mat, tap heels in the chair, march in place to the hand drum (1 min).
6. On a big drum beat, arms up and shout "Awake!"; anyone who wants can pick a different floor next time (1 min).

Rules

• Everyone picks a floor: mat, chair or standing.
• If I change floors, I walk there slowly.
• I copy the teacher with my body in my own way.
• When the drum stops, I freeze.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the wheelchair is that child's floor; every move has an arms-and-trunk version so they do the same as the group.
• Autism: post a picture for each zone and for the end of the warm-up, always in the same order.
• Deaf or hard of hearing: face the group and stay visible; pair the final drum beat with arms raised high.

Learning goals

• Warm up the joints gradually, head to toe.
• Choose the position that works best for their body.
• Follow a simple sequence by imitation with the whole group.

Equipment for a class of 25

• chairs: 12
• mats: 4
• hand drum: 1

Teacher tip

Switch floors yourself each day so no zone becomes "someone's spot." If on day one everyone heads for the chairs, that's fine: the point is that all three floors are equally good.

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