Animal Walks
Take a trip to the zoo! Children move around the play space performing different animal movements in response to the educator's instructions.
Set up
Designate a play space, with the educator standing in front of the children.
How to play
Step 1
- Educator begins moving like an animal they choose (e.g., kangaroo) around the designated area or between the cones, and the children copy
Step 2
- Educator changes to a new animal movement. Ideas of animal walks to try out include;
- Hop like a kangaroo
- Jump like a frog
- Crawl like a bear (on all fours, belly button facing down)
- Walk tall on tiptoes like a giraffe
- Stomp like an elephant
- Run fast like a cheetah
- Walk like a crab (on all fours, belly button facing up)
- Jump and swing arms around like a monkey
- Gallop like a horse
- Slither like a snake
- Fly like a butterfly
- Zoo! Be any animal that you like
Step 3
- Educator calls out 'Zoo' and children can choose to move like an animal of their choice
Variations
Make it easier
- Start with simple, familiar animal walks such as jump like a frog, run like a cheetah
- Shorten the distance
Make it harder
- Perform animal walks over a larger distance
- Introduce some more tricky animals. Try a donkey kick, bear crawls, or an inchworm!
Activity information
Age: Kindergarten / Pre-school, Foundation, Year 1, Year 2
Participants: 1
+
Equipment: Cones (optional)
Duration: 5 minutes
Skill focus
Explore these skills for teaching tips
Activity summary
Physical literacy tips
- Join in with the children
- Make the animal noises while doing the actions
- Let a child choose the animal
