We're Going on a Bear Hunt Movement Story

Movement story based on the classic children's chant: the group goes through tall grass, a river, mud, a forest and a cave using different locomotor skills and, when they find the bear, races back the way they came. Students practice locomotor skills, jumping, crawling and expression.

How to play

1. Set up a loop: tall grass (zigzag cones), river (two ropes 3 feet apart), mud (hoops in a row), forest (tight cones) and cave (gym bench with a mat on top). At the end, home: a pile of mats.
2. Make 5 groups of 5 that start 20 seconds apart. Narrate while everyone repeats 'We're going on a bear hunt, we're not scared!'
3. At each zone, chant 'Can't go over it, can't go under it, we've got to go through it!' and cross: high knees, two-foot jump, heavy steps hoop to hoop, zigzag, and crawling through the cave.
4. In the cave, the bear appears (a student or stuffed animal). Everyone shouts 'A bear!' and races back through every zone to hide at home (first trip: 8 min).
5. Second trip (8 min): one student per group invents a new way to cross each zone. Wrap-up (4 min): slow breathing at home 'so the bear can't hear us.'

Rules

• Run on the way back, but no passing in the cave or at the river.
• Crawl through the cave one at a time.
• Each group waits until the group ahead has left a zone.
• The bear only surprises; no chasing or tagging.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: wider zones, with the cave replaced by a tunnel of pinnies held by classmates; the student may play the bear.
• Students with autism: preview the story with pictures and warn that the bear will appear.
• Fitness level: very fit students run the return trip twice.

Learning goals

• Adapt locomotor skills to the features of each zone.
• Express the actions and feelings of a story through movement.
• Jump, crawl and avoid obstacles with control.

Equipment for a class of 25

• cones: 20
• hoops: 8
• ropes: 2
• gym bench: 1
• mats: 6

Teacher tip

Overdo the storytelling and gestures; the chant's rhythm carries the activity. If someone gets scared, let them be the bear on the second trip.

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