Wake Up Your Jingle Bell

With a jingle bell bracelet on a wrist or ankle, children move each body part to make it ring, then try to move without making a sound. They practice moving body parts one at a time and controlling movement by listening to it.

How to play

1. Each child puts a jingle bell bracelet on one wrist, and the teacher says the bell is asleep; we look at it without moving (1 min).
2. Wake it up by shaking your hand up, down, and side to side (1 min).
3. Make it ring with your elbow, your shoulder, and by turning your wrist like opening a door (1 min).
4. Move the bracelet to an ankle and wake it with your foot: toe, heel, little kicks, and small hops (1 min).
5. Walk around the room making the bell ring as happily as you can (1 min).
6. Now put it to sleep: walk very slowly and try to keep it silent; if it jingles, just laugh and keep going. Then take the bracelet off carefully and place it in the box without a sound (2 min).

Rules

• Everyone keeps their own bell; no taking someone else's.
• Bells don't go in mouths and don't get thrown.
• When the teacher says "sleep time," we look for silence.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the bracelet goes on the body part the child moves most, working from the chair.
• Visual impairment: the bell gives feedback about their own movement; describe each cue and touch the body part involved.
• Hearing impairment: the teacher uses big gestures for "wake up" and "sleep," and the child feels the bell vibrating on the wrist.

Learning goals

• Move different body parts on their own.
• Control movement so the bell rings or stays quiet.
• Warm up arm and leg joints.

Equipment for a class of 25

• pulseras de cascabeles: 25

Teacher tip

Use fabric or elastic bracelets with the bells firmly sewn on, and check them before class; remove any that come loose. For 3-year-olds, adults fasten them, ideally with Velcro.

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