Zookeeper Partners
Partner pretend play at the zoo: one child is the animal living in its hoop and the other is the zookeeper who brings food and takes it for a walk. Kids practice animal movements, caring for a partner and switching roles.
How to play
- Scatter ten hoops around the space (animal homes) and put the beanbags in the middle (food pantry). Kids pair up.
- Circle (2 min): 'Today we're opening the zoo. One of you is the animal and one is the zookeeper.' Show how the elephant, kangaroo, snake, flamingo and penguin move.
- Feeding time (3 min): the animal you call waits in its hoop doing its gesture. The zookeeper goes to the pantry, grabs a beanbag and brings it back, then goes for more until there are three in the home.
- The walk (3 min): one tambourine tap: the animal leaves its hoop and moves like that animal around the zoo, with the zookeeper walking beside it. Two taps: back home.
- Switch roles (4 min): the zookeeper becomes the animal and you call a new animal. Repeat feeding and walking; beanbags go back to the pantry.
- The zoo closes (2 min): all animals lie down to sleep in their homes.
Rules
- The zookeeper brings one beanbag at a time and sets it down, no throwing.
- On the walk, partners stay together.
- Animals on all fours go slowly.
- On two taps, every pair goes back to its hoop.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, the teacher acts out the animal and all the animals copy.
Standard
Five different animals with a role switch.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, the zookeeper secretly picks the animal and the animal guesses it from a gesture.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: be the zookeeper in the wheelchair, with the pantry moved close to the home.
- Autism: a picture card of the animal and the same partner the whole game.
- More skilled kids get balance animals like the flamingo; less skilled kids get simple ones like the penguin.
Learning goals
- Travel while imitating different animals.
- Look after and walk with a partner.
- Switch roles in pretend play.
Equipment for a class of 25
- hoops: 10
- beanbags: 30
- hand drum (tambourine): 1
Teacher tip
Pick animals whose movements are very different. A big picture of each animal on the wall helps the youngest kids remember.
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