Animal Walks

Children bear walking

Take a trip to the zoo! Children move around the play space performing different animal movements in response to the educator's instructions.

Different animal images
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: Three year olds, Kindergarten, Pre-Primary, Year 1, Year 2
Participants: 1 +
Duration: 5 minutes
Skill focus
Explore these skills for teaching tips
Balancing Running Jumping Galloping
Activity summary
Physical literacy tips
  • Join in with the children
  • Make the animal noises while doing the actions
  • Let a child choose the animal