What Should I Wear? Sun, Rain and Snow

The teacher shows a weather card and children hurry to the clothing piles to pick something that fits (a cap for sun, a poncho for rain, scarf and mittens for snow), put it on and move like that weather. It works on making choices, dressing and undressing, and moving safely for the weather.

How to play

1. In a circle, look at the four cards (sun, rain, snow and wind) and talk about what we wear for each (2 min).
2. Spread the clothes in four piles around the room. The teacher shows a card and each child finds an item that works and puts it on (3 min).
3. Move like that weather: in sun, walk slowly looking for shade; in rain, jump over puddles; in snow, penguin steps; in wind, hold on to your cap (4 min).
4. Weather change: take off the item, return it to its pile and the teacher shows another card (3 min).
5. Surprise card: the teacher shows two at once (sun and wind) and each child decides what to wear, then tells why (2 min).

Rules

• Take only one item at a time.
• The item goes back to its pile when the weather changes.
• If two of us want the same one, we find another that also works.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: a classmate brings two items to choose from, and the moves are done with arms and trunk.
• Autism: put the matching weather card on top of each clothing pile so the child knows where to look.
• Visual impairment: describe the cards out loud and use items with very different textures.

Learning goals

• Choose the right clothes for each kind of weather.
• Put on and take off simple items independently.
• Adapt movement to the weather safely.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Weather cards: 4
• Caps: 8
• Scarves: 8
• Mittens: 8
• Rain ponchos: 8

Teacher tip

Ask families for old clothes in the children’s size and wash them first; don’t use long scarves while running, short neck gaiters are safer. Usual mistake: running with the item half on; dress first, then play.

More main activities for Elementary