Tiptoe Spies in the Corners

Children turn into spies who move around the room without a sound: on tiptoe, crouched low, flat against the wall and peeking around corners. They warm up and practice the body positions they'll later use to hide and seek.

How to play

1. Sitting in a circle, the teacher puts on pretend spy glasses and teaches the secret word: “Psst!”, which means freeze like a statue (1 min).
2. Walk around the room on tiptoe so no one can hear your feet, looking left and right (1 min).
3. Walk crouched low as if sneaking under a window so nobody can see you (1 min).
4. Press your back to the wall, slide sideways and peek just your head around the corner of a shelf (1 min).
5. On “Psst!” everyone freezes in whatever position they're in; on “Go on!” switch to a new way of walking (1 min).
6. Tiptoe back to the circle and whisper what you spied (1 min).

Rules

• Spies don't run; they walk without a sound.
• On “Psst!” I freeze like a statue.
• I watch where I'm going so I don't bump into another spy.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child spies from a chair, leaning the trunk and head left and right to peek.
• Hearing impairment: “Psst!” is signaled with a finger on the lips and a raised hand.
• Autism: say beforehand how many ways of walking there will be, and always use the same freeze word.

Learning goals

• Warm up with different ways of walking.
• Control posture and noise while moving.
• Respond to a signal by stopping.

Teacher tip

Move chairs out of the middle and leave corners free for peeking. Kids get excited and start running: if you hear footsteps, call “Psst!” and start again more slowly.

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