Trot, Then Circle, Line or Huddle
Children jog around the playground and, on the teacher's call, come together to make a circle, a line or a tight huddle. It gets bodies moving and teaches them to find their place in space alongside others.
How to play
- Jog freely around the playground to the beat of the drum, looking for open space (1 min).
- On "Circle!", hold hands and make one big circle with the teacher (1 min).
- On "Line!", get one behind the other with hands on shoulders and jog slowly (1 min).
- On "Huddle!", everyone gathers standing in the middle, shoulder to shoulder, and counts to three (1 min).
- Mix the three shapes, calling them faster and faster, and jog loose in between (2 min).
Rules
- In the huddle I stay close, but I don't push.
- In the line my hands are gentle on shoulders.
- When the drum plays, I let go and jog.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, just circle and huddle, with the teacher standing where the shape should form.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, all three shapes with a long pause between calls.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, in groups of five: each group makes its own circle, line and huddle.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the circle and huddle form around the child's wheelchair, which becomes the center of the shape.
- Hearing loss: each shape has a picture card the teacher holds up while calling it.
- Autism: the child can stay at the edge of the huddle holding a friend's hand instead of being squeezed in the middle.
Learning goals
- Jog without bumping into others.
- Make a circle, a line and a cluster together.
- Respond to a verbal cue.
Equipment for a class of 25
- hand drum: 1
Teacher tip
The huddle is the hardest: ask for "close like peas in a pod, but no squeezing" and count out loud yourself. For the first circle, hold two children's hands so the rest can join on.
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