Walking the Dog Before School

Each child takes their pretend dog for a walk around the neighborhood: the dog pulls, stops to sniff, jumps puddles and chases pigeons. It works on varied locomotor skills, changes of speed and stopping.

How to play

1. Put on your coat, grab the pretend leash and tell us your dog’s name (1 min).
2. Easy walk: walk with the leash in one hand and the dog beside you; switch hands when the teacher says (1 min).
3. The dog pulls! Walk fast, almost running, and on the drum stop short: the dog is sniffing a tree (1 min).
4. Puddles: jump with feet together over pretend puddles to keep your shoes dry (1 min).
5. Pigeons! The dog chases them and we jog a little zigzag, then call the dog back (1 min).
6. Walk home slowly, take off the leash, give the dog water and a pat (1 min).

Rules

• My dog and I don’t bump into anyone.
• When the drum sounds, we stop.
• We’re gentle with our dog.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: walk the dog in the wheelchair with speed changes and stops; steer around puddles.
• Autism: the pretend dog can be a stuffed animal on a string so there’s something to hold.
• Hearing impairment: also stop when the teacher lifts the drum high.

Learning goals

• Combine different ways of moving.
• Stop and start on a signal.
• Warm up through an everyday story.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Hand drum: 1

Teacher tip

Have them say their dog’s name out loud at the start: it pulls them into the game. Kids tend to run the whole time, so make the calm walk clear at the beginning and the end.

More activities like this

More warm-ups for Elementary