Tiptoe Cats in the Sleeping Mouse House

Mice sleep lying on the floor and a cat tiptoes by, gently stroking their backs; each stroked mouse wakes up as a cat and helps stroke the others, until everyone is a cat who stretches and curls up. It's a cool-down with gentle touch and slow movement.

How to play

1. Everyone lies on their tummies like sleeping mice and the teacher plays soft music (1 min).
2. The teacher-cat tiptoes by and strokes a mouse's back; that mouse slowly rises like a cat (1 min).
3. New cats also stroke carefully, one at a time, until no sleeping mice are left (2 min).
4. All the cats stretch: back arched like a grumpy cat, then dipped like a happy cat (1 min).
5. The cats curl into a ball and purr very softly (1 min).

Rules

• Mice sleep still with eyes closed.
• Cats stroke gently with the palm of the hand.
• When I'm stroked, I get up slowly.
• Cats don't make noise.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child can be a sleeping mouse sitting with head resting on arms, and as a cat strokes the back within reach.
• Autism or touch sensitivity: the cat strokes with a scarf or just whispers “meow” nearby.
• Hearing impairment: the wake-up signal is the stroke, so the child can follow without hearing the music.

Learning goals

• Relax with the body still on the floor.
• Touch others gently.
• Stretch the back after activity.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Soft music

Teacher tip

Before starting, show a cat stroke on your own arm. If someone doesn't want to be touched, they raise a hand when lying down, and the cat just meows in their ear.

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