Tell the children a story (or read from a book). The children use the playground equipment to reenact the story (on the Titanic avoiding the iceberg, driving across country, escaping from Alcatraz, etc.). The object of this activity is for children to use their imagination and diverse play equipment to reenact the story. The children might first reenact or rehearse segments before performing the entire story.
Play Elements: Combo (brachiating, swinging, sliding, spinning, balancing)
Extra Equipment Needed: Storybook or ideas for a fun story to reenact
Benefits
- Foster awareness of fundamental motor skills and movement concepts.
- Promotes self-expression, creativity, positive social interaction and laughter.
- Develops physical fitness.
- Reinforce literary comprehension.
Teaching Tip
- Plan ahead; choose a story with lots of activity and adventure.
Safety Tips
- Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
- Ensure that children hold on with both hands while swinging.
Variations
- Easier: Read the story in advance. Children brainstorm as a class and practice possible movements before heading to the playground.
- More Challenging: Groups of children act out different stories and the remaining children attempt to guess the story they are acting out (this works best if groups act out stories the entire class knows).
Did You Know?
A fable is a kind of story that teaches a moral or a lesson. Aesop's Fables are a collection of stories by the author Aesop who lived in Ancient Greece.
Download the activity pdf here.
