Beans
Fun, warm-up game for younger children incorporating all types of movement - no equipment required.
Set up
Designate a play space inside or outside. Children stand up and spread out in the designated area.
How to play
Step 1:
- On the educator's instruction, children become a different type of bean. Ideas of different beans to explore include;
- Runner bean – run fast around the area or on the spot
- Jelly bean – wobble your arms, legs, and body about
- Frozen bean – stop moving and freeze
- Baked bean - curl up tightly into a small ball
- Full of beans – crazy dancing on the spot
- Broad bean – stretch arms and legs out wide
- Snake bean - slither along the ground
- Chilli bean – shiver and shake
- Kidney bean - bend over and try and touch toes
- String bean – stand on tip toes with arms stretched up in the air
- Jumping bean – jump on the spot
- Balance bean – balance on 1 leg
- Dancing bean - show your best dance moves
- Hopping bean - hop on one leg
Step 2:
- Continue calling out new beans, going as fast or as slow as you like!
Variations
Make it easier
- Play Beans standing in one spot E.g. Standing behind chairs at their desks
- Start with a few simple beans e.g. runner bean, string bean, broad bean
- The educator demonstrates the bean at the same time
Make it harder
- Move around a larger area
- Call out different beans faster so children have to transition quickly from standing to jumping to frozen etc.
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
Skill teaching
Before playing Beans, practice balancing on one leg with arms out like an aeroplane and eyes looking forward.
Remember the balance teaching cues:
- Head up
- Aeroplane arms
- Eyes forward looking at something ahead of them e.g. tree
Activity summary
Physical literacy tips
- Let a child be the leader and choose the beans
- Ask children to create their own bean
