Weather Inside Me

Each feeling is a kind of weather: sun for happy, rain for sad, a storm for angry, strong wind for scared and a rainbow for calm; children move like that weather. It builds naming what they feel and expressing it with the body.

How to play

1. In a circle, the teacher asks: “What's the weather like inside you today?” and shows the five weather cards (2 min).
2. Sun: arms open like rays, spinning and hopping happily around the space (2 min).
3. Rain: fingers falling slowly as we sink down sadly until we're a puddle on the floor (2 min).
4. Storm: thunder stomps and lightning arms, really strong, until the teacher says “The storm is over!” and we stop (2 min).
5. Strong wind: wobble and tremble and hold on to a friend so we don't blow away; rainbow: make an arch with our bodies, still and calm (2 min).
6. The teacher changes the weather with cards and music; finish with the rainbow and each child shares their inside weather now (2 min).

Rules

• The storm stomps the floor, not friends.
• When a new card comes up, I switch quickly.
• I hold my friend gently.

Variations

Adaptations

• Visual impairment: the teacher calls out the weather and adds a sound (finger-tap rain, foot-stomp thunder).
• Limited mobility: show each weather with arms and upper body; in the wind, a buddy holds on to the wheelchair.
• Autism: warn before the storm and allow covering ears.

Learning goals

• Name feelings using a familiar image.
• Express each feeling with the body.
• Understand that feelings change, like the weather.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Weather cards: 5
• Music

Teacher tip

The key idea is that weather changes and so do feelings: say it in those words at the end. Hang the cards in the classroom and use them at morning circle.

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