MOVEMENT
EXERCISES
NAME
THAT STATUE
Ship |
Turn
on some music and instruct
children to secretly choose
a theme and move within
the blanket with the theme
in mind. Examples: earth/
weather formations, flying,
sea, land creatures, insects,
aliens, metamorphoses,
etc. As music stops all
freeze while observers
guess theme.
SCRAMBLER
All lean against walls of
fabric holding top edge
with hands. Begin moving
feet and alternately
move towards and away
from center without running
into each other. Try
occasionally turning
outwards while maintaining
contact with the walls.
This promotes spatial
awareness, body boundary
formation, group interaction
and fun!
CLIFF
HANGER
Children take turns leaning
as near to the floor on two
feet while others in the
blanket support their weight.
Hangers may lean forwards,
backwards, sideways, This
promotes balance, trust,
group cooperation, and confidence
building.
KALEIDESCOPE
Children sit inside blanket
pulling it over their
heads. Prompt them to
experiment with concepts
of fold/unfold, opening/closing,
inhaling,exhaling, etc.
as they move in synchrony,
sequentially, and asymetrically
towards and away from
the center. Encourage
childrento create their
own images Examples:
an opening flower, sea
urchin, starfish eating,
kaleidescope. Put sound
to it if suitable.
SKYDIVING
Everyone stands inside the
blanket facing outwards,
legs spread wide. While
holding top edge, arms
outspread, they then
lean out to an equal
balancing point, with
mutual support distributed
equally around the circle.
Make sure they press
their hips into the fabric
so the body can arch
as if flying in a swan
dive
FLOWER
Group sits crouched inside
blanket with top edge
pulled over their heads.
Instruct children to
slowly unfold backwards
together to a supine
position. Reverse direction.
For a variation instruct
the group to open sequentially
to create a wave-like
effect.
DIGESTION
Digestion |
Use
the blanket to act out
science lessons. Have children
move/act out stages of
digestion by using the
blanket and their imaginations
such as a man eating bug.
Propose each stage and
encourage them to "move
it". Break children up
into teams and have each
other watch the other team's
version. Memories are formed
that have impact and group
bonding effects.
CATERPILLAR/SNAKE/DINOSAUR
6-8 children kneel on top
of 1/2 of the blanket
with the other 1/2 of
fabric covering their
heads. Using both hands
to close the side edges,
children can locomote
and create a creature
of their choice, the
front child being the
head, the last in line
being the tail
STORYMAKING
Storytelling |
Fables,
Folktales, Cross-cultural
stories come alive in the
child's imagination when
given the opportunity to
enact the main themes.
CoOperBlanket has become
the object of many a fantasy:
a raging river, a king
or queen in his/her court,
a man eating fish, a half
man/ half insect, a galaxy
of stars, a canoe trip,
a space invasion, etc.
You may either read the
story while the children "move" it,
or you can use images that
you see them creating before
your very eyes. You can
also suggest that each
person takes a turn developing
a story with a new movement.
For example the first person
begins, "Once upon a time
there was an ocean that
never stopped churning." He/she
leads the group in creating
a churning effect with
the blanket. The next person
may say "Until one day
there emerged a sea creature
that said, "KEEP IT DOWN
OUT HERE" They in turn
begin to lead the group
into forming a sea monster
shape etc... |
GAMES
PEAS
IN A POD
Sitting inside the blanket
children create an oblong,
tent-like shape. On the count
of three and by secret pre-arrangement,
everyone but one child presses
their head out of the pod.
Quickly, those watching must
determine which child is
missing.
RACE
2 teams, each inside a CoOperBlanket
must move from point
A to Point B by: a. No
one falling down (group
cooperation, spatial
awareness) b. moving
in circles, zig zags,
maintaining a square,
oblong, triangle, (shapes)
c. while responding to
caller's commands, "all
circle to right," "wave
making," "boomeranging," etc..
(response, cooperation,
coordination)
DODGE
BALL
Ten children sit inside CoOperBlanket
spread out to a comfortable
tension. Insiders perform
the opening and closing flower
exercise while those on outside
try to throw their balls
on the inside of the blanket
circle. When balls are all
thrown the ball eating blanket
stands up, keeping the circular
pulled out tension, and throws
the balls one at a time trying
to hit the outsiders. Those
hit, trade places with insiders.
SECRET
TAG
Two at a time children change
places rebounding off the
sides. At various times determined
by the one who is "it", someone
is tagged and becomes "it" No
one knows who is "it" until
they are tagged.
RUN
AND DRAG
One person lies down on fabric
so no part is touching the
floor. The group faces outwards,
runs and drags the rider
for a ride of their lifetime.
Take turns and rider can
practice spinning or holding
impossible positions while
being dragged.
TUG
OF WAR
All stand equidistant from
each other and pull back
as far as you can go. The
first one to move off the
sides of fabric must leave
the circle. Last one left
is winner and gets to be
dragged by others. Variation:
First one to move their feet
must leave circle.
CoOperBlanket
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