Theater Book-Part 1

Note: With the intention of facilitating reading and not turning the text into something very repetitive
and heavy, the use of the masculine (children, students, teachers,

educators, parents) always implies that we are referring to boys and girls, students and the students, the teachers, the educated parents and educators, fathers and mothers. We
hope that the proposals and approaches in this book are addressed equally and without any type of differentiation or exclusion to both sexes.
Content
5
CONTENIDO
Cover design: Valerio Viano
© María Teresa Blanch, Antonio Moras, Anna Gasol, 2003

Drawings: Akihito Asano
© Planeta DeAgostini Professional and Training, SL, 2003
Ediciones Ceac is a brand owned by Planeta DeAgostini
Professional and Training, SL
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ISBN: 84-329-9533-9
Legal deposit: B-43.138-2008
Printed in Spain by Book Print Digital
How to use this book...........................................................16
1...............................................................................................18
Breathing and relaxation exercises......................................21
Concentration exercises.......................................................24
Visualization exercises........................................................26
In the footsteps of the seven dwarfs................................31
Magic mirror... Look at my face!....................................33
Magic shadows!...............................................................35
All the animals in the world............................................35
rowing races.....................................................................37
What works of art!...........................................................37
Boing, boing!...................................................................39
One, two, three... Let the wolf get you!...........................39
3 9
CONTENIDO
Photo album.....................................................................42
The eight..........................................................................42
On and off........................................................................45
Metamorphosis................................................................45
Steady pace......................................................................46
dancing bodies.................................................................46
The tunnel of sensations..................................................48
turtle race.........................................................................48
A giant clock....................................................................50
Swings.............................................................................52
Pull the rope!...................................................................52
3...............................................................................................27
Surprise boxes..................................................................28
You can't see anything at all............................................63
Guess who's talking.........................................................63
One step forward, one step back......................................64
Those above and those below..........................................66
The houses of the three bears..........................................66
Feet still...........................................................................68
A room with a view.........................................................70
The traveling balloon.......................................................70
Where is it located?.........................................................72
Trip to the school center..................................................72
What is bigger?................................................................74
How many can we fit?.....................................................76
4 9
CONTENIDO
Take off you, so I can put on...........................................76

Nosy Balloons..................................................................78
Step by step......................................................................78
Introduction
This book presents a series of one hundred theatrical expression game

proposals specially designed for children in the Early Childhood Education
stage (3-5 years).
It is precisely at this moment, when the child enters school, from the age
of 3, that he begins to establish a more consolidated and diversified
relationship with spoken language, despite the fact that he only begins to
learn to master its use. and that he can barely use it as a vehicle for
communication, but rather it serves mainly as an instrument to express his
desires and feelings. Likewise, the school allows him to establish
relationships with other children his age and with adults who do not
belong. dine in your family environment; begins to realize that there is a
difference differences between some individuals and others, and they begin
in an inconsistent way. cient and spontaneous, his first social relationships.
At 3 years old, the child's relationship with the family, especially with
the people in his immediate environment and, in a representative way tive,
with the father and the mother, constitutes a very lively need. It is for this
reason that the usual work of theatrical expression in the class, forming part
of a curricular project of the Early Childhood Education stage, manages to
promote certain capacities of children and achieve the following objectives
more quickly:
• Develop children's ability to enroll in a cul determined ture.

• Increase the creative and playful dimension of children.
• Allow children to achieve a better knowledge of their body and their
senses, which contributes to increasing their ca self-esteem and
facilitates their autonomy.
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1 00 THEATER GAMES IN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION INTRODUCTION
• Increase your observation skills and visual acuity. Through theatrical expression we help turn the child into the self-
• Increase your ease of finding expression mechanisms oral sion. confident and supportive adult that he or she should be in the future.
• Enable the child to be interested in his relationships with other In general, when we talk about theatrical performances at school, we are
children and other people in conditions of affection, rhythm, referring to the show that is prepared at the end of a term or at the end of
friendship and solidarity. Thus, little by little, throughout Early the course. But, before being able to perform this show that constitutes a
Childhood Education, the child will acquire the notion of social party for children and adults, it is necessary to carry out preparation work
lization and understanding of their competencies to act on reality. that has to do with space, contact, the body and hearing. Therefore, it is
important It is important that children who play theatrical games know in
Through theatrical expression, the Early Childhood Education child advance that all the previous effort we ask of them will take shape in a
learns to speak with his body and voice, participates in the ture of the specific final workshop that will probably be attended by your family
group, he plays a character different from himself and, thanks to his
members, children from other years at school or other people around you.
learning skills, he learns to surprise his parents, his teachers and also
There are a series of basic objectives to keep in mind when playing
himself. Games and exercise activities that are carried out throughout the
games. theater gos:
term or academic year lar allow you to interpret actions, emotions and
feelings in a world built to suit your comprehension skills. sion and
memorization, so that your emotional intelligence potential increases to 1. Control breathing
advance your personal maturity. Before starting any exercise or game, we explain to the children the
The potential for understanding, observing, persevering is evident. importance of breathing to maintain rhythm and for our body and mind
rancidity and exploration of the sense of abstraction that children possess, to function in harmony. complete coordination and harmony. We show
as well as their imaginative ability to give life to objects and to invent them how to do simple breathing exercises, explaining that they also
characters and attribute to them roles extracted from models. those in real serve to calm us down, to free us from muscular pressure and allow us
life. The exercises, games and suggestions that present This book attempts to control the ability to breathe through the play of the abdominal
to echo these childhood skills in order to increase the possibilities of muscles; Furthermore, also They also provide better coordination of
exploring movement. ment, space, voice, improvisation, etc., and turn them gestures.
into an instrument of expression and personal maturation, as well as a
means of play. A game that will contribute to physical development co, 2. Develop perception
intellectual and cultural of the child and will become a motivation when it
The activities proposed in this book help to develop sensory and motor
comes to promoting their social and emotional development.
intelligence: the child really experiences situations when he represents
As we have pointed out, through theatrical play, the Early Childhood
Education child can achieve the following skills: them and, therefore, develops the capacity for perception and
knowledge of his feelings. nes. At the same time, it increases your
• Understand the notions of space and time. imagination and explores and uses all your senses. On the other hand,
• Learn to know your own body. the child also begins to represent the creative gesture, because
• Develop your imagination.
• Learn to listen to yourself and others.
• Get used to doing more rigorous and methodical work.
• Increase your sensitivity.
• Learn to take into account and value the work of others.
• Develop the ability to be disciplined.
• Take the risk.
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1 00 THEATER GAMES IN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION INTRODUCTION
Your act of communication must have the appearance of reality. more easily.
Therefore, little by little, he realizes that if he is not sure of the
verisimilitude of what he represents, he will not be able to believe it. 6. Develop the notion of symbol
beat the companions who attend his performance as spectators. The development of the notion of symbol allows the child to represent
objects, events, movements, gestures. cough, etc., based on arbitrary
3. Control feelings and differentiated signs such as language, drawing, writing or gesture.
Playing sensory games allows the child, as he learns to improvise, to In the Early Childhood Education stage, the child imitates models
learn to troll your feelings. When you improvise, you experience an and is always very willing to draw people and objects in his immediate
emotional situation that allows you to experience feelings of joy. anger, environment, an exercise, as we know, essential to subsequently address
fear, anger, sadness, tenderness, etc., sometimes passing from one to the learning of reading and writing. Through theatrical play, we expand
the other quite quickly, so they learn to roll them spontaneously and get this knowledge, making him discover that with the help of his own
rid of them the moment the action they represent or the game ends. body, without any external object, he can represent everything he
However, since these are very young children, it is not advisable to wants. put: a house, the leaf of a tree, a river... Through symbolic play
make them represent very negative feelings, which imply hatred or
that allows them to express their feelings, emotions and perception of
contempt. The final objective should be that, through play and
the world, the child learns new codes.
theatrical expression exercises, they can They acquire the disposition to
control their impulses and emotions. nes; In this case, it is better for
7. Develop notions of time and space
children aged 3 to 5 years to represent sit in roles that carry positive
While performing an improvisation, the child distributes temporary
feelings, that help them develop their human capacities.
mind a certain number of actions. This organization has poral produces
a brief scene that the child builds as he represents it. This process helps
4. Enhance the development of imagination
him - although at first unconsciously - to realize the order in which
The act of inventing, constructing, manifesting ideas or dreams that is,
events occur and their duration and, little by little, he realizes that a
giving free rein to the ability to imagine, provides pleasure to the child
scene that is too long work bores his companions, while excessive short
and helps him express his feelings. thoughts and desires through the
mind may be incomprehensible to viewers dores. He also discovers that
expression of gestures and words bras. Theatrical play requires a great
the pace of the scene (very slow, slow, less slow, fast, fast-paced)
effort of imagination tion that is summarized in the manifestation of
changes depending on the type of idea he is representing.
sensations and emotions.
5. Help to know the environment

The child must increase his observation skills to pay greater attention to
his surroundings. By representing the actions from one of his relatives:
his little brother learns spoon-feeding, your grandmother shopping at
the market, your father driving on a blocked highway on a Sunday
night, etc., you have to observe them from many angles and from
different perspectives. The fact that, later, you have the possibility of
recreating in a scene What he has observed provides the child with a
magnificent opportunity to compare external reality with your personal
perception of the world, which helps you discover, structure and
assimilate it more easily. All of this will contribute in the future to the
construction of a more conscious personality, will give him greater self-
confidence and will help him to overcome all the stages of his schooling
12 13
INTRODUCTION
1 00 THEATER GAMES IN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION
The child also acquires the notion of space, since he moves in a given for camaraderie and understanding (all of which reinforces the
space: he evolves in a stage this bled that limits its movements, since it development of mutual respect). At the same time, always ensuring
has a decoration or backdrop, a mouth curtain and some sides. While that criticism is respectful and constructive, the habit of this exercise
performing an individual performance, you are positioned in front of the will promote the development llo of children's capacity for observation
spectators and must be aware that your left and right do not coincide and criticism. This, together with the preparation of a collective show,
with those of the people around you. plan. When he makes a that promotes get into the habit of sharing and encourage you to work
representation with other children, he must take into account their collaboratively nuada (again a support to stimulate respect), benefi It
presence and, therefore, he must place himself in the space, guided by will help children in the future when they have to work on school
the movements of the other acts. res or creating your personal space. projects.
Throughout the sessions, and when the children are already familiar
linked with their character, the adult must show them on a piece of
10. Get started in understanding literary language
packing paper or a large piece of cardboard, and using a pencil ces of
Theater games also allow the introduction of language. poetic guaje,
colors (as if making a mural), the displacements that each one of them
through continuity in the exercises of art culation and diction. Word
must carry out so that they can visualize their occupation of the space.
games, onomatopoeia, memori The use of phrases and poems allows
the child to relate to the game of sound and its relationship with
8. Learn to respect each other images. On the other hand, when we all propose the interpretation of a
While interpreting, the child displays his imagination, ability and story that we have read aloud in class and they like, the children have
sensitivity to communicate with others, and when he acts as a spectator, to memorize the short phrases that they are going to read. nunciate in
he participates in what his companions do because he pays attention to the representation, which helps them to better understand the writer's
his representation with sight and hearing. language and perceive the characters' emotions more clearly. At the
Theatrical games give children more confidence in themselves and same time, they become familiar with the literary language and begin
their possibilities and help them feel respect. for the work of others. to perceive that reading is a means of establishing a dialogue between
their imagination and what the text says through the story, the
9. Develop language characters or the style. it. Thus, the child begins the adventure of
Children in the Early Childhood Education stage feel more comfortable appropriating a story, giving it meaning through his imagination and
expressing themselves with their bodies than with words, given that they sensitivity.
still have a limited command of language. frequently We observe that,
once they have physically expressed an action, a sensation or an On the other hand, within the curricular project of each school, it would
emotion, the words to explain it can emerge more easily. Even the most be interesting to plan a performance at the end of each quarter or at the end
shy children or those who have fewer resources to express themselves of the course, so that, weekly
orally are capable of defending their improvisations strongly and quite
clearly, if their classmates have not understood them well.
Furthermore, the timing of the action corresponds to the organization
of the sentences, so the child, when developing his action, must take into
account the order in which he expresses his sensations and stages his
actions.
Once the performance has finished, it is very important so that in
the class the habit of establishing a dialogue between the various
children and the adult is created, who will act as mediator. This
exchange of opinions will help each of the children understand and
appreciate the efforts made by their peers and will also create stimuli
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100 THEATER GAMES IN AI CHILDREN'S EDUCATION INTRODUCTION
Mindfully, a time of between 30 and 45 minutes will be dedicated to the etc.
practice. ca of improvisation games, contact, rhythm, voice, breathing, body
expression, spatial awareness, etc., for a few weeks or an entire term. They • Goals
would then move on (a few weeks, another quarter) to working on the This section specifies the basic objectives that are achieved with the
scenes of the play separately, repeating them over and over again until the game. Due to the complexity that the activity can acquire, the
children acquired the skills. They had ease in their roles and were able to objectives to be achieved will be different. cough according to the age
move safely. Finally, during the last two weeks of the quarter three or of the student and the imaginative capacity of the group.
during the month of May and part of June (depending on the type of
programming), the entire show would be repeated. tacle from beginning to • Development
end, representing the scenes following chronological order and before all Under this heading, first of all the general guidelines for working on a
the team that will be part of the representation, taking into account that all certain activity with the class are given, and then nuation, the
children must know the development of the work, even if they do not development of the exercise is specified according to the age of the
participate in all the scenes, and that They must have rehearsed at least three children.
or four times with the costumes and in the final settings so that they can feel
comfortable and confident on the day of the final performance. • Tips
The recommendations offered expand the development section with
suggestions, or are specifications to avoid risk situations, depending on
the age of the children.
How to use this book • Other age-appropriate stories
Titles of books known to children are proposed, which can be They can
It has been decided to start the book with a section in which it is be easily found in the school library or municipal library, and can be
proposed They do a series of breathing and relaxation exercises, with used as a complete ment of the activity.
centering and visualization that will facilitate the implementation of the
different activities that will be proposed in the subsequent chapters. titles To complete the games, the book includes four theatrical adaptations:
and the staging of theatrical adaptations. They present themselves These Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Red Hen, Ali Baba and the Forty
exercises can be done before or after starting each game, so children will be Thieves and The Lost Elephant, which aim to put into practice everything
able to avoid getting tired if they breathe properly or learn to concentrate. that has been worked on throughout the course. . Next to each work appears
learn and maintain attention, actions that will be useful in daily life and in the story from which the adaptation has been made.
other curricular areas.
Next, and from chapter 2 to chapter 5, five major sections are presented:
Body and movement, Space, Articulation and diction, Contact and
Dramatic games. Each of them includes theater games designed to be
participated individually, in pairs, in a small group or as a group (in this
case, the entire class). These are activities that aim to develop the feelings
two, knowledge of the body and confidence in the execution of movements,
the articulation of words and their correct diction, as contact is stimulated
and experimentation with space and dramatic games.
The games are structured as follows:
• Scenery
A suitable space is proposed to develop the activity. The real spaces
that are part of the school environment and that are familiar are taken
into account: the classroom, the playground, the music room, the gym,
1
1
7
6
100 THEATER GAMES IN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION
■' 0 ■ '
The fact of including the full text of the story serves, on the one hand, to
show how an adaptation of a popular or current story can be made, and, on
the other, to give a first reading to children with the aim of introducing
them to the work and facilitate its grasping
At the end of the book , three tables are included: "Objectives" and
"Interrelated Activities", in which a list has been made. tion of each of the
games and the relationship they have with the rest of the sections of the
book and "More ideas", based on the books from the collection "El Rincon
1
del Juego" (Ediciones Ceac, 2000), very useful for be able to extrapolate
the activities to other areas of the curriculum, such as Art, Language or
Mathematics. For this reason, for each activity, games have been extracted
from said collection, which can expand the activities in this book.
:
. ■■■, '' ■ .
Previous steps
for the correct
realization
of the games
1
8
Breathing and relaxation exercises
Most of the games, activities and exercises proposed are designed so
that children can move freely through certain spaces, become familiar with
the contact between one another, enjoy make and interpret sounds and be
able to stage and improvise use simple situations and actions. All of this
requires being surrounded by a totally relaxed environment that allows
concentration when necessary. To achieve this, we will use music and
some basic exercises before and after the activities.
Before starting the games and activities, it would be interesting for
children to acquire basic notions of how they should breathe. It is
recommended advice for almost all the activities in the sections Body and
movement, Space, Articulation and diction, Contact and Dramatic games.
So, we will start by talking about the importance of respi ration to
achieve correct performance of the exercises:
Breathing exercises
for BEFORE activities
• Inhale/exhale: we will explain that the air must enter through the nose
(inhale) and be expelled through the mouth (exhale). Suge We will
have everyone breathe in and out several times, first with their eyes
open and then with their eyes closed. They can be standing or lying
down.
Tip: we must use a soft tone of voice and slowly pronounce the words
"inhale" and "exhale."
2
1
1 00 THEATER GAMES IN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION PREVIOUS STEPS FOR THE CORRECT EXECUTION OF THE GAMES
• We will repeat the previous exercise, this time covering our mouth with the ball in his hands will take the place in the center of the circle.
one hand so that the air does not escape. We will propose that ins Tip: The game should be slow and coordinated.
Breathe through your nose and hold the air in your mouth for a few
seconds. When we say "expel", we will release the air through the
mouth.
Another option is to ask the children to take in as much air as they Breathing and relaxation exercises AFTER
can through their nose (a long inhalation), and then nuation that they activities
release it through the mouth.
Tip: preferably, we will perform the exercise with our eyes closed to
achieve total concentration on the breath. ration. • We lie down on mats and give a series of instructions. instructions: «We
bring our arms up to our head, fully stretched», «We lower our arms to
Lying on the floor on mats or a rug bra, we will raise our arms very our hips», «Squeeze We make our fists very hard and open them again",
slowly while breathing in through our nose. Once we have our arms at "We close and open our fists gently, intermittently", "We open and close
head height, we will breathe out through our mouth. our legs", "We move our toes", etc. All this, controlling as much as
possible a correct res piration
Tip: All movements should be done slowly. The tone of voice used is
very important: it should be calm, soft and slow. You can play soft
Relaxation exercises relaxation music. The room should be semi-dark. Children will go
preferentially mind barefoot.
for BEFORE activities
• In addition to the previous exercise, we ask the children to sit Lie on the
• We will turn off the classroom lights and, sitting on the floor or grave floor with your legs crossed. The arms must be left dead, the eyes
two, we will close our eyes for a minute. closed. We ask that you make a move gentle movements of the head,
Tip: The first few times, children will laugh, talk and even pretend to from one side to the other. Afterwards, we We move forward with our
sleep, imitating their parents' snoring. To avoid this, we can play a tape arms stretched wide and try to We take them as far as we can. We repeat
of classical music. the same exercise with our legs stretched out and trying to touch our
toes with our hands.
• We ask the children to lie down on the floor and close their eyes. We Tip: we must be very careful with head movements, avoiding
read a short story and suggest that they imagine the scenes. abruptness or rotation in such young children. Children will preferably
go barefoot.
Tip: we select a story that is not impatient or it hurts the children too
much.
• In pairs, we do a few stretches. Lying down, a child gently massages his
partner's head, shoulders and back, lightly stretches his arms, hands and
• Sitting on the floor we form a circle. We choose a child to squat in the
fingers, and then pulls his partner's legs. Tip: we will check that the
middle of the circle, with his eyes covered, and count to three or five
stretches are done correctly tedly. We will always direct the stretches
(depending on the numbers he knows how to count). Meanwhile, the
from top to bottom. The children will go barefoot.
children of the circus ass they will pass a ball from one to another. The
ball always pre will be passed in a clockwise direction.
• Lined up and lying on the ground, we all rolled in the same direction.
Once the exercise is over, we remain lying down for a couple of
When the child in the center has finished counting, he or she will say minutes to avoid dizziness and loss of balance. brio when we get up.
“Now!” and will open his eyes. The teammate who at that moment has
22 23
1 00 THEATER GAMES IN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION PREVIOUS STEPS FOR THE CORRECT EXECUTION OF THE GAMES
Tip: we will leave enough distance between each other. The children Tip: We continue listening to relaxation music, but this time we lower
will go barefoot, so we will ensure that the floor is clean of impurities the volume.
to avoid causing cuts. Children should roll slowly.
• Lying on the floor, we take a tour of the body. We suggest children
• In pairs, we will suggest that one of the children take a tour with a soft travel from head to toe, following our instructions: «Close your eyes
ball, slowly kneading your partner's body from head to toe. and think that you have a little man on your head. Notice how it walks
Meanwhile, the partner should breathe in and out slowly and relaxed. through your hair..., it goes down to your nose..., it sits on top of your
Tip: there are special rubber balls to do this exercise; If not, there are lips... Be careful not to open your mouth, lest it fall out! tro! Now it
also some plastic sticks adapted to the hands of small children. goes down your neck as if it were a slide..., it goes to one shoulder...,
etc.». Like this, until you reach the feet.
Tip: Instructions should be given very slowly, in a soft and sweet
voice as possible, with pauses. At the end, we let the children remain
Concentration exercises silent for a few seconds with their eyes closed.
• Sitting in a circle, we give a series of instructions that allow They will

For the activities and games to be carried out correctly and, obviously, allow children to locate and concentrate on different areas of the body.
for the subsequent characterizations and for the staging of the For example, we can say: "Let's put "We put our hand on our head",
dramatizations, the children must be completely mind concentrated. As "We touch our nose with our finger", "We cover our eyes with both
these are games that are most often played as a team, group coordination, hands", "We cover our eyes"
synchronization and constant collaboration are necessary.
It is not about children getting nervous, impatient or fussy. What is
intended to be achieved is precisely the opposite: knowing how to control
certain impulses that could harm group work, learning to organize and
realizing that with everyone's effort predetermined objectives are achieved.
Some of the exercises in the Breathing and Relaxation Exercises section,

such as explaining a story or passing a ball from one person to another, can
be used as concentration games. It is not about doing all the exercises at
once, but rather alternating breathing, relaxation, concentration or
visualization exercises, as we see fit. We can propose the following:
♦ We form a circle, lying on the floor and we all hold hands, with our
eyes closed, for a minute. Suge We encourage children to focus solely
on the music. Tip: We listen to relaxation music and ask that you not
talk for a minute.
» We carry out the previous exercise, but this time we ask them to
concentrate on the noises that come from outside: a car, footsteps, a
door that closes, etc. After the minute So, we ask you to try to
remember what you have heard.
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100 THEATER GAMES IN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION PREVIOUS STEPS FOR THE CORRECT EXECUTION OF THE GAMES
navel with the palm of the hand", "We touch the tip of our nose with hear his silence.
our foot", etc. We will listen to a piece of classical music and, meanwhile, we will
Tip: Instructions should be clear and simple. They should be given very distribute colored pencils. The idea is that the children, as they listen to the
slowly so that all children have time to do them. piece, visualize different colors and show the color that the melody suggests
to them. For example, in Vivaldi's The Four Seasons , they can visualize
• We begin the explanation of a story that they know, they show do the colors such as green, yellow, brown, etc.
illustrations. In turns, we let each child tell what they see in the image, Tip: We will ask the children "What color does the music inspire you
following the structure of the story. now?", and we will let them, all at the same time, show the color that seems
Tip: It would be convenient for each child to contribute something to the appropriate to them.
story. However, if someone does not want to participate, I will respect We
Visualization exercises
These exercises help to relax, memorize and stimulate the mind. gination. With them, the child develops observation and attention span, very important factors when playing the
different games presented in these pages. They are exercises that must be repeated throughout the sessions.
The atmosphere should be calm, relaxed and that helps conciliation. centering.
• In a circle, we will close our eyes for a few seconds and ask We ask children to visualize an image. When they open their eyes, we will let them explain what they have
visualized.
Tip: in the case of 3-year-old children, we can give the instructions tructions of what they have to visualize: "a ball", "a truck", "an elephant", etc.
• Inside a box, we will place different figures and objects: a doll, a frying pan, a ball, a triangle, a square, etc. Each child, with their eyes covered, must touch an object, feel it for
as long as they need and visualize it.
Tip: while the child has the object in their hands, we will ask them questions such as "What do you imagine it is?", "What color do you think it might be?", "What shape does
it have?", etc.
26 27
Body
and
movement
In the footsteps of the seven dwarfs
File: Body and movement
Participation: individual
Setting: the patio, the hallway
Goals
• Follow a predetermined path.
• Retrace the path.
• Know where the right is and where the left is.
• Maintain balance/walk while holding an object.
Development
We will explain that they have become dwarfs from Snow White 's story
and that they must follow the path that leads them to their house or vice
versa. We will delimit a space in the class or in the classroom llo (or in the
yard) and we will make moving footprints on the ground that each child
must follow.
3 years. The children, individually, will walk the path from a

predetermined point to the house of the seven dwarfs. We will then ask
them to retrace the path and return to the starting point.
4 years. We will establish some codes along the way to make the activity
more difficult. We will explain that there are two types of footprints, red
and green, and that the first indicate the path to go and the second you give
the way to return.
5 years. We will suggest that the children follow the path trying to
maintain balance. To do this, we will give an object (it could be a plate
with an apple) so that each child can follow the footprints and hold them.
holding the object and ensuring that it does not fall to the ground.
3
1
100 THEATER GAMES IN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION BODY AND MOVEMENT
Tips
We will try to make the prints made of a washable material so that we can use them as many times as
we deem appropriate. It would be interesting to create new circuits and increase the level of difficulty. tad
so that the game does not lose interest.
You can also suggest following the path by jumping with one foot, warning them that they should
always fall in the path you are running. put the foot with which you jump.
Throughout the activity, you can listen to the music from the movie Snow White and the Seven
Dwarfs, produced by the Disney factory. Then, without music, the children are asked to follow the
footprints singing.
Other stories suitable for the activity

Adams, G. and Utton, P.: Tell me a story (Stories for tar), Timun Mas.
Magic mirror... Look at my 4 years. We stand in front of the students

and make different faces so that they learn
face! to recognize them. We let them imitate us
and then we ask them to imitate
themselves in pairs.
Participation: group/small group They must use all the resources that the
face offers them to express feelings,
Setting: class sensations, attitudes, moods.
Goals 5 years. We propose that each pair

• Imitate and recognize different represent grimaces in front of the rest of
grimaces. the class. The other children must guess
• Express feelings with your eyes, what they want to express.
eyebrows, mouth, nose, etc.
Tips
Development While the activity lasts in pairs, we will
We will sit the students facing each ask the other children to remain silent. It
other and ask them to imitate different would be interesting to give a pal every
faces. time they make a face or expression.
The expressions and grimaces of each
3 years. We put the children in a row in pair can be photographed to hang in the
front of us and ask them to imitate each of classroom, allowing the children to
the faces we make: happy face, sad face, observe the movement of the muscles in
surprised face, scared face, serious face, their faces.
ca disgust, etc. We alternate the different
faces and then we make them improvise. Other stories suitable for the activity
32 33
Inkpen,M.: Who am I? (The Magic

Moon), Timun Mas.
32 34
Magic shadows! is, we accompany each figure with the sound that the animal grazes on.
4 years. We show the children how to make figures and we propose that, in
pairs, they improvise different figures with their hands and represent them
behind the sheet so that their classmates can guess which figure it is.
Participation: small group
5 years. We suggest the same exercise as before, but in this case they must
Scenario: the class or any classroom in the center represent simple stories based on the movement of their body (they can use
their voice and music). For example, a popular story well known to them such
Goals as Little Red Riding Hood ^ or The Three Little Pigs.
• Recognize and distinguish different figures.
• Play with shapes and improvise. Tips
• Get started with shadow theater. While the activity lasts, we ask that you remain silent, letting relaxation
music play. Performances should not last more than 1 or 2 minutes.
Development
We will hang a white sheet from the ceiling and place a spotlight or lamp Other stories suitable for the activity
behind it so that the children can individually make shadows with their own Baumgart, K.: Don't be afraid, Tom (The Magic Moon), Tinun Nas.
hands and the rest of their body. Glitz, A. and Sónnichsen, L: A monster under the Bed (The Magic Moon),
Timun Mas.
3 years. We sit the children on the floor in front of the sheet and ask them to MacDonald, A. and Williamson, G.: Beware of Bears! (The Magic Moon),
try to distinguish the shadows that we will make. We will start with very Timun Mas.
simple shadows: a dog, a snake
All the animals in the world

Setting: class
Goals
• Imitate different farm animals with the help of your whole body.
• Imitate jungle animals through your entire body.
or a rabbit. To facilitate the game, if the students do not know? What animal it
34 35
Development three..." to change sides.

We will place the children in a circle and show them different photographs
of farm or jungle animals. Tips
Throughout the activity, it would be interesting to listen to water noise. In
3 and 4 years. We stand in the center of the circle and imitate something we this exercise it is important to maintain correct breathing.
animals, moving the whole body. We ask each child to name the farm animal
they want to represent and stand in the center of the circle to imitate it. The
rest of the colleagues must He will make the same gestures as his partner.
Denou, V.: Teo discovers the means of transportation (Special Volumes),
5 years. We propose that they think of an animal from the jungle and Timun Mas.
represent it based on their body movements in front of all their companions. Denou, V: Teo and sports (Teo discovers the world), Timun Mas.
They must guess what animal it is.
Tips
When we imitate animals, we will try to move them The movements are What works of art!
slow so that everyone can observe them well.
Company, M. and Aránega, M.: Collection «The farm of the artists tas”, Participation: small group/individual
Timun Mas.
Smee, N.: “Finger Puppets” Collection, Timun Mas. Stage: a small stage-shaped space, with space for 4 or 5 people, with a
smooth background
rowing races Goals
File: Body and movement • Observe and imitate figures.
• Interpret works of art with the help of the body.
Development
Setting: class Children must use their bodies to imitate different sculptures. tures or
paintings.
Goals
• Perform coordinated movements. 3 and 4 years. We show during the minutes that we create conve We envision
Development the image of a sculpture and ask that, individually, You and with the
We will leave a classroom space clean of tables and chairs. photograph in front of you, imitate what you see, situated on stage.
We will place rows of cushions on the floor to simulate rowing races.
3, 4 and 5 years. We all sit on the ground in a large row and ask the children
to imagine that we are going in a boat on a river and that to reach our
destination we must all row in a coordinated manner.
We stand in front of the children sitting with their legs crossed. We give
and direct the rowing operation to the right and to the left, shouting "one, two,
36 37
5 years. We distribute different works of art among the different groups and ball to him or her.
give them a few minutes to rehearse them. We ask each group to interpret the
work of art they have observed. Tips
We will make sure that the ball is soft so that when throwing it from one to
Tips another they do not hurt themselves. It is necessary to maintain adequate
The following works of art are proposed: The Thinker by Rodin, Las breathing.
Meninas by Velázquez, or La Gioconda by Fernando Botero.
You can make a very interesting exhibition of works of art based on the
Fox, C. and Fox, D.: Count to ten Piggy Wiggy (Piggy Wiggy), Timun
different representations of the children.
Mas.
Pinguilly, Y.: Leonardo da Vinci, the painter who spoke with birds, Anaya.
One, two, three... Let the wolf get you!
Boing, boing! Participation: group

Setting: preferably the schoolyard, if possible with trees, to simulate the
forest where Little Red Riding Hood's wolf hides.
Participation: group Goals
• Learn the movement in a group.
Setting: the patio, the basketball court or the soccer field • Coordinate arms and legs.
• Achieve speed of movement.
Goals
• Identify a number and work on the speed of movement. Development
• Achieve order and coordination of movement. We will prepare a space that allows us to play "One, two, three, wall pick."
In this game, a child faces the wall, with the rest of his classmates behind him,
Development a few meters away. When the boy on the wall has finished saying "one, two,
We will pass the ball from one child to another in a coordinated and three, wall pick," he must turn around. As he pronounces the words, those
synchronized manner. It is about associating a sound with a movement. behind must move forward. Tsar without being seen. If when you turn around
you see a classmate moving, they must go to the wall.
3 and 4 years. We number the children in pairs from 1 to 10. For 3 year olds, In this case, one of the children (the one who plays the wolf) will poke the
we will use their own names. Every time I name let's name one of the children wall singing "one, two, three, wolf again"; When you turn around, you must
or say a number, the children assign two to that name or number must jump, discover what the rest of the class imitates (an animal, a means of
the rest must remain Keep still until your turn comes. transportation, an expression, etc.).
5 years. We will ask the children to form a circle and number them oars In
this case, we will start the game by passing a ball to one of the children. From
here, the child who has the ball will be the one to say the number of one of his
classmates and pass the ball to him. The person to whom the named number
corresponds must jump to make it easier for his or her teammate to throw the
38 39
3 and 4 years. We will ask the boy who will play the wolf to wait hidden
behind a tree without looking. Meanwhile, we will represent in front of the
rest of the class the movement we are going to do (for example, arms raised in
an arc with lateral movement, imitating a tree blown by the wind, in the case
of 3 years, and imitation of an athlete moving arms and legs, for children 4
years old).
5 years. We will carry out the same activity, but, in addition, it is necessary
Make sure they are fast enough to hide behind the trees (if there are not
enough trees, large boxes can be placed), changing from one to the other each
time, before the wolf turns around. The student who is left without a tree will
play the role of a wolf. They could also represent characters from popular
stories. res, hidden behind the trees.
Tips • Improvise movements.
We will help students who face the wall, giving give them some clue about • Characterize and internalize the movements of a character.
what the rest of the class represents.
We will ask for silence throughout the game, the only voice that can be Development
heard is that of the wolf. We will draw a route in the class that the train passes through and we will
We can play a piece of classical music or relaxation music in which the indicate the different stops using signs.
sound of the wind or birdsong appears.
3 and 4 years. We will adapt a space in the class and draw a route. In the case
Other stories suitable for the activity of the little ones, we will form a line and, one after the other, we will mark a
“Tell me a story” collection, Timun Mas. rhythm with our feet, the right one first. right and then the left, and thus,
Adams, G. and Young, S.: The Hare and the Tortoise.In A story for every coordinated, we will do all the work project.
day. 366 stories and poems (Stories to tell), Timun Mas. For those 4 years old, we will do the tour in groups of three. Along the
way, we will place a series of obstacles that we will change. We will ask you
to make the appropriate stops at the marked places.
Tu-tuuu... passengers to the train!
File: Body and movement 5 years. In this case, instead of following a route, we will place a series of
chairs in the shape of a train to act as passengers and we will ask them to
Participation: group make a movement every time they hear "Tu-tuuuu." I lie imitating a
passenger.
Setting: class
Tips
Goals
• Coordinate arms and legs in a group. To make the journey easier, it may be useful to trace the path with
• Respect an established order and learn to follow a set path. arrows. direction indicator signs.
We will listen to the song "El tren" by Ana Belén and Víctor Manuel.

Adams, G. and Young, S.: My bus seat.In A story for every day. 366
stories and poems (Stories to tell), Timun Mas.
40 41
1 00 THEATER GAMES IN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION BODY AND MOVEMENT
Photo album Setting: the gym, the patio
File: Body and movement Goals

• Move the trunk, waist, arms and legs.
Participation: small group • Coordinate arms with legs.
• Achieve speed of movement.
Setting: class • Concentrate.
• Breathe properly.
Goals
• Interpret actions through the body. Development
We will make a figure eight around the legs with the help of a ball.
Development
We will interpret photographic images with the help of the body. 3, 4 and 5 years. We make a circle and pass the ball to a child. With the ball
in your hands, you must bend your trunk and work your waist to pass the ball
3, 4 and 5 years. We distributed photographs to the different groups in the around your left foot and carry it diagonally towards your right foot, so that
class. We leave a few minutes for them to observe them, comment on them the movement you make has the shape of an eight. First we will do the
and distribute the roles. Next, group by group, we ask them to represent what exercise slowly mind and, as the children gain practice, we will ask them to
they have seen in the image. We point out that facial expressions and gestures speed up the pace. When the child finishes, he will pass the ball to the team.
are very important. clothier next to you.
Tips Tips
Photographs should contain clear and easy-to-represent images. For In the case of 3 years old, the adult will give one ball per child, so that they
example, they can be photos of the same boys or girls, the family on the can do the exercise several times in a row. It can also be done in pairs, and
beach, children playing, grandparents, etc. In 3-year-old children, instead of while one of the children remains He needs to stand still, his partner draws the
photographs, illustrations can be shown. stories trations. figure eight.
The adult can photograph each group and then, in class, compare the
original photograph with the representative photograph. tion and, thus, Other stories suitable for the activity
comment on them together. Dowling, P.: Sally plays with numbers (Surprise Books), Timun Mas.
Walsh, M.: Marta counts her kittens (Surprise books), Timun Mas.
Derou, V.: “Teo discovers the world” collection, Timun Mas.
The eight
42 43
On and off shelf, open and close a door, say hello, talk. sign with another robot, etc.
File: Body and movement Tips

Before starting the session, we let all the children move freely through the
Participation: small group space imitating the movements of the robots. They should try to move all
parts of the body, from the eyelids to the toes.
Setting: class
Goals Prats, M. and Rifa, E: The Intemot robot, Combel.
• Show reaction capacity.
• Improvise.
• Synchronize movements.
Metamorphosis
Development
Each child must imagine that he is a robot and behave like one. However, File: Body and movement
since they are machines, they won't be able to start moving until someone
starts them. Participation: group
3 years. We will divide the class into robots and technicians (after the first Setting: the gym
session, the roles will be exchanged). Robots cannot start moving until the
technicians put them to sea cha. To do this, and for them to work correctly,
Goals
the technician must You will touch each part of the robot companion's body
• Discover flexibility and movement of the body.
until it is completely turned on. When we deem it appropriate we will give the
order to turn off the robots. The technician co you will have to do the entire • Obtain the ability to transform through movement cough.
process in reverse. • Chill out.
• Notice.
Development
We will transform from worms to butterflies through motion lies.
3, 4 and 5 years. We will watch in slow motion the transformation of a

worm into a butterfly. We reproduce the movements and ask the children to
observe us in silence. Then all jun cough, in a large space, we will represent
the metamorphosis.
Tips
This session should be done in absolute silence. In any case, only
relaxation music should be listened to. It would be interesting to be able to
record the metamorphosis of the group for later vision.
4 and 5 years. We will carry out the previous activity, but, in this case, the
technicians will give orders to the robots to take something from the floor or a
44 45
Other stories suitable for the activity Other stories suitable for the activity
“Life Cycles” Collection, Edebé. Adams, S.: The fantastic book of games (Games and activities), Timun
“Wonderful World” Collection, SM. Mas.
Steady pace dancing bodies

File: Body and movement File: Body and movement
Participation: group Participation: group
Setting: class, gym, playground

Setting: music classroom, class
Goals
Goals
• Use three areas of expression.
• Create a rhythm with the resources provided by the body.
• Associate music with each area of the body.
• Memorize a sequence.
Development
Development Children must associate certain music with a part of the body.
With the help of different parts of the body we will create deter mined
rhythm sequences. 3 and 4 years. We point out three parts of the body: the legs, the arms and
the hips. We move each of the parts freely, separately. Next, we identify each
3 years. We will talk about hands and fingers. We will listen to a playback part with music. For example, the arms with an opera piece, the legs with tap
of the sound of rain, and we will show the children how you can imitate rain dance music, the hips with salsa music. From here, we let them listen to the
with just your fingers and the palm of your hand. We will tap gently with a different music so they can relate it to the areas of the body they have worked
finger of the right hand press the palm of the left hand (or vice versa), for a on.
rainy day smooth route. We will tap with several fingers of the hand on the
palm, for a day of stormy rain.
4 and 5 years. We will prepare a sequence based on long blows and dry
blows. We will divide the class into several groups: some use the hands will
go; others, the mouth, and others, the feet. First I played We show the
sequence we have created by hitting the palms of In hand on a table and ask
everyone to imitate us. I repeated it We do it several times until we get the
right rhythm, with the pau are relevant. Then, we ask each group to rehearse it
separately; through palms, in the case of the hands; hitting the ground, with
the feet, or whistling, with the mouth. Finally, we repeat the sequence all
together, working the different parts of the body.
Tips
We can ask the music teacher for help to create different sequences.
46 47
1 00 THEATER GAMES IN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION BODY AND MOVEMENT
5 years. We do the previous activity, but we introduce more body parts (head, sadness, repulsion, anger, etc. (as many as we want) and we let them do the
hands, fingers, etc.) to make the activity a little more difficult with each new tour alone.
introduction duction.
Tips
Tips We can prepare the activity as many times as we think necessary. sary and
In the case of head movement, we must warn children that they should not introduce the changes that best suit us. Mass of front, you can leave objects
make sudden movements. The head must You will move from right to left, but that children can handle while after they are in a certain area. For example,
never from front to back. you can leave a scarf in the area that feels cold, or a glass of water in the area
that feels hot.
Other stories suitable for the activity With 3 and 4 year old students, a first recognizance can begin. rrid with the
Adams, S.: The fantastic book of games (Games and activities), Timun seasons of the year.
Mas.
Baumgart, K.: Don't be afraid, Tom (The Magic Moon), Timun Mas.
Gliori, D. and Dunbar, J.: Tell me something happy before going to sleep
The tunnel of sensations (The Magic Moon), Timun Mas.
Participation: individual/small group

turtle race
Setting: the hallway
Goals
• Know and play with sensations. Participation: group
• Gesturally translate sensations.
Setting: the patio or the gym
Development
We will divide one of the center's hallways into different areas and Goals
decorate them with objects that produce different sensations. nes; for example, • Coordinate the body.
ice, a sun, a ghost, a rose, etc. • Control impatience.
• Know the possibilities of the body.
3 and 4 years. We divide the hallway into several areas, one containing a sun
(feeling warm), one containing a penguin and ice or snow (feeling cold), and Development
one containing a ghost (feeling cold). sation of fear). We warn the children We will participate in a turtle race. To do this, I will indicate We teach
that in this activity they cannot speak, only gesture. We act as the group's children that they must perform the movements of an athlete in
guide and begin the tour. When we reach the area that represents feel hot, we
make the movements typical of when we are very hot and ask them to imitate
us. So on until the tour is finished. Next, we change the order of the areas and
perform the same exercise individually.
5 years. In addition to the previous areas, we introduce feelings of disgust,
48 49
middle of a race, but instead of running, they should go as slow as they can. be ourselves).
Before we begin, we will show a clock and observe the speed of the hands;
3 years. We prepare a starting line and an arrival goal. We all line up and We will suggest to the students that than the same time. From here, the
start. We suggest children have each of the movements of our body. There is minutes should begin to run in a rhythmic manner.
no desire winners or losers, it's about all of us trying to reach the goal at the The hours group, when they meet the minutes, must raise their arms so that
same time. they can pass under and continue. nuar working.
Thus, the minute hand will mark the passage to the hour hand.
4 and 5 years. We propose the previous activity, but, in addition, the athletes
must hand the baton to companions who are waiting for them in the middle of Tips
the road. The arrival must be at the same time for everyone, so those who are Throughout the activity you could hear the “ticking” of a clock. Before
more impatient should learn to wait (while still moving slowly) for their starting, we can make a sound recording of a clock with the voices of boys
companions. and girls. It is only necessary for one part of the class to say "Tic" and another
to say "Tac", each time we indicate it.
Tips
We must tell the children that the movements must be very slow and that Other stories suitable for the activity
they must work with their arms and legs. Lavis, S.: Peluso is very busy (Peluso), Timun Mas.
The hare and the Tortoise. The gallery.
pos, that of the hour hand (which will contain a greater number number of
students), and that of minutes, and we ask them to hold hands. We take into
account that in the middle of the clock and take holding hands with one of the
members of both groups, there must be one person who acts as the axis (it can
A giant clock
Participation: group
Setting: class, gym, playground
Goals
• Synchronize the group.
Development
We will form a giant clock with all the children.
3, 4 and 5 years. We draw a giant sphere on the ground and mark We see
the different numbers clearly. We form two groups
50 51
Swings Participation: group
Setting: the gym or the patio

Goals
Participation: small group • Know the strength of each one and learn to measure it.
• Collaborate in a group.
Setting: class and gym
Development
We will divide the class into two groups and draw a line divided laugh on
Goals
the ground. Each group will pull a part of the rope until they get the other
• Measure balance.
team to cross the line and enter their territory.
• Trust the other.
• Measure the force. 3, 4 and 5 years. We will clap so that the children know when they should
start exerting force. We will warn you that every time you hear the word
Development "stop", without letting go of the rope, you must stop. be all at once. If the clap
This activity is done in pairs. The members of the couple must trust each sounds again, they must continue pulling the rope.
other. On the one hand, do not doubt the care and the attention of the person
doing the force and, on the other hand, knowing how far the strength of our Tips
body is capable of reaching. We must be careful that one of the groups does not let go of the rope
prematurely to prevent the rest of the teammates from getting hurt. The game
3, 4 and 5 years. We form pairs among all the children in the class and in each must be played with a rope thick enough so that it does not break and of a
pair we number one of the members with the number 1 and another with the material that does not hurt the children 's hands.
number 2. We ask them to stand back to back and link their arms in the form
of handles. The exercise consists of when we say "Up the ones!", the boys and
Corentin, P.: Miss every man for himself, Corimbo.
girls numbered 2 must use force with their arms to lift their partners onto their
backs. Before the cry "Up, both of you!", the ones will be the ones who carry
out the action that their companions have done before.
Tips
We must warn that it is not about using excessive force, so that they do not
fall headlong against the ground. It would be advisable to place a bed of mats
to avoid accidents. We will suggest that children take off their shoes.

Elena, H. and Martí, L: Guille in the park (Let's play with Guille), Timun
Mas.
Pull the rope!

52 53
3
Space
Surprise boxes
Tab: Space
Setting: the gym
Goals
• Understand the concepts: inside/outside and front/behind.
• Knowing how to place yourself to the right or left of a specific object I
swim.
• Find an object according to certain clues.
Development
We take four cardboard boxes large enough to fit at least two children in
each of them. I pin them We cover or cover with green, red, yellow and
blue. To continue tion, we place them in a place where there are no
obstacles that hinder Cultivate the performance of the exercise.
3 years. Before starting the game we will work on the pro concepts
positions and we will clearly determine where the front and back of the box
are based on simple instructions. For example: "Marta, stand in front of the
green box", "Alex, stand behind the yellow box", etc.
4 years. In addition to explaining the above, in this case, we will also

determine where the right and the left are. For example: "David, stand to
the right of the front of the blue box."
5 years. Before carrying out this exercise, we will select a series of

objects that the children will have to recognize and we will show them,
clearly explaining their main characteristics: color,
5
7
100 THEATER GAMES IN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION SPACE
Timun Mas.
Adams, G. and Young, S.: The puddles. In A story for every day. 366 stories
and poems (Stories to tell), Timun Mas.
I see I see
Tab: Space
Participation: in pairs
Setting: class
Goals
• Distinguish the colors red, yellow, green and blue.
• Recognize spaces in the classroom based on the clues given.
• Find objects according to their spatial location.
Development
• Recognize objects from given clues.
We will draw a circle with chalk on the ground, simulating it as a lake, and
we will place the children sitting around it. Every time the ball falls into the Development
lake, the children will pretend that it comes out. the water stings. We will distribute a few objects in different parts of the classroom. We will
form pairs of children and ask one of the players Have them choose one of the
3, 4 and 5 years. The child who has the ball must throw it to a friend. Wildman. objects and give the necessary clues for their partner to discover which one it is,
When he receives it, the partner on his right must cover his face with his left based on a series of questions about the characteristics of the object. The game
hand, while the one on his left must cover his face with his right hand. scheme is as follows:
We will explain that this is a symbolic game and that we must imagine that
the water splashes us when we cannot catch the ball that our partner throws to Player 1 : I see, I see.
us and the ball falls between our hands. after legs. Player 2: What do you see?
The proposed objectives should be assumed by all children in Early Player Z: A little something.
Childhood Education; The only thing we will modify will be the degree of Player 2: What color? (This question can be replaced by What size is it?,
difficulty. What shape is it?, What is it for?, etc.) Player 1: Color...
Tips Questions and answers will be asked until the object is discovered.
The ball used must be soft, to avoid accidents. It is important that the ball is
thrown with maximum precision.
Given the difficulty of using the appropriate hand to cover the face, 3-year-
old students will use both hands at the same time. With 5-year-old students, you
can eliminate players who take the wrong hand.

Gliori, D. and Ros, R.: Tales with salt and pepper (The magical moon),
60 61
3 years. We will put objects that allow us to play with four colors to
facilitate the game.
4 years. We will introduce a variation in the game that will consist of

recognizing spaces in the class from clues; For example, a window, the door,
the coat rack, etc.
5 years. Following the previous mechanism, we will increase the difficulty

tad introducing objects such as the doorknob, a paper clip, a doll, etc.
Tips
First we must give some basic guidelines so that children use the correct
vocabulary to define the objects. For example, in the case of a ball, we must
emphasize that it has a round shape. If the synonyms have been worked on (5 3 years. Before doing the exercises with our eyes covered, we will do them
years), they can bus take two definitions. with our eyes open so that the children become familiar with the space. We will
ask them to get up or down from a chair, kick a ball, do a cartwheel, etc.
Other stories suitable for the activity 4 years. Using gym elements (mats, foam ladders, etc.), we will determine
Adams, G. and Young, S.: Lost and found.In A story for every day. 366 defined spaces so that the children can recognize them with their eyes
stories and poems (Stories to tell), Timun Mas. uncovered, and then be able to navigate them with their eyes covered. We can
ask them to jump to the right, to the left, forward or backward.
5 years. We will ask the children to follow a specific route based on our
You can't see anything at all instructions; for example: «two steps forward te», «one step to the left», «three
steps forward», etc.
Tab: Space
Tips
Participation: individual We will have to accompany the 3-year-old students by the hand when
doing simple exercises such as getting up and down from a chair, kicking a
Setting: the gym ball, etc.
With 4 and 5 year old children you can work on the sense of hearing. For
Goals example, we can take them blindfolded to a spy. of the school and ask them to
• Perform simple exercises with your eyes covered. recognize where they are.
• Move in a known space with your eyes covered. It may be interesting to acquire some Braille alphabets so that children can
• Move around with your eyes covered following the instructions. discover how blind people read.
Development Other stories suitable for the activity

We will cover the children's eyes to perform the exercises. At first, we will Adams, G. and Young, S.: The bonfires. In A story for every day. 366
try to ensure that the activities are not too complicated. you give. We will clear stories and poems (Stories to tell), Timun Mas.
the gym of objects and devices.
Guess who's talking
Tab: Space
62 63
Participation: small group Setting: class

Setting: the gym or class Goals
Goals • Understand the terms "in front/behind".
• Recognize the partner who is speaking. • Correctly place objects arbitrarily in front/behind.
• Place the person speaking to the right or left. • Understand the concepts in front/behind in certain objects (houses, cars,
• Recognize the tone (sad, happy...) of the person speaking. buses).
• Know different synonyms for front/behind.
Development
We will place a chair in the middle of the classroom and behind it the Development
chairs of the remaining children in the class. A child will sit in the chair with We will place a few chairs forming a bus. The silhouette of the bus can be
his back to the rest of his classmates and must recognize the child who is drawn on the ground with chalk.
speaking to him by voice.
3 and 4 years. We will explain which part is the front and which is the back in
3,4 and 5 years. We will place a child in the center of the chosen space to carry
order to avoid confusion.
out the activity and with his back to the other children. We will point to the
Once we understand the meaning of the terms "in front" and "behind" we
child who has to speak and, after a few seconds, we will ask the child in the
will perform exercises with different elements, such as tables, chairs, etc.
center to guess which friend ñero corresponds the voice.
4 and 5 years. We will show the boys and girls who speak a car tel every time 5 years. We will work with synonyms for "in front" and "behind." For example,
we want them to change their tone of voice. We will also ask the child who the "façade" of a house is its front part; if it puts us When we are “at the front”
listens to locate the person who has spoken to him. You just have to say if it is of a queue we are placing ourselves in front of everyone else. The "heads" of a
on your right or left. coin is its front and the "tails" is its back; the "back" is behind and the "face" is
in front, etc.
Tips
This game should be played when the children have enough spend enough Tips
time together so that they can recognize each other's voices.
We can show photographs of houses, vehicles, etc., so that they can be
Throughout the game, we will ensure that there is silence so as not to dis
grouped according to whether the image shows the front or the back.
bring the child who has to recognize the person speaking.
For children of 4 and 5 years old, difficulty can be added, ask They have We can work on these concepts from the body, identify looking at the parts
them, in addition to recognizing the voice, say the tone that has been used that are in front and those that are behind.
(happy, bad-tempered, sad, etc.).
Adams, G. and Young, S.: Who lives here?In A story for every day. 366
stories and poems (Stories to tell), Timun Mas.
One step forward, one step back

Tab: Space
64 65
Other stories suitable for the activity We will place the elements and objects necessary to work on the "up/down"
Adams, G. and Young, S.: The Hare and the Tortoise.In A story for every concepts.
day. 366 stories and poems (Stories to tell), Timun Mas.
3 , 4 and 5 years. We will use the elements that the gym offers us space
(stairs, mats, etc.) to work on the concepts "up" and "down." For example, we
will ask the children to climb up the trellises and then go down until they reach
Those above and those below the ground.
Tab: Space 5 years. We will show different elements, such as photographs, objects
cough, etc., in which the concepts "above" are clearly distinguished ba" and
Participation: individual "down." For example, in a block of flats, the residents of the first floor go
"upstairs" if they are going to look for sugar on the second floor, but, on the
Setting: the gym other hand, they go "downstairs" if what they want is to go to the street.
Tips
Goals We can do jumping exercises to reaffirm the concepts "up" and "down",
• Recognize in which position a certain object is located. ensuring that there are no obstacles that interfere carry some risk.
• Know the meaning of "up" and "down", and know that it can be arbitrary We can encourage 5-year-olds to imagine different There are several
depending on how it is used. situations in which the terms "up/down" are clearly evident.
Glitz, A. and Sónnichsen, I.: A monster under the bed (The Magic Moon),
Timun Mas.
Gliori, R. and Ros, R.: Tales with salt and pepper (The magical moon),
Timun Mas.
The houses of the three bears

Tab: Space
Setting: class, playground
Goals
• Walk and recognize a space.
• Learn to take advantage of space.
• Know how to design a space.
Development
66 67
1 00 THEATER GAMES IN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION SPACE
Development
We will place chairs in a circle and ask the children to signal “Go!” run
around the space we have prepared do. At the "Stop" signal, they must walk to
the chairs and sit tarse. Those who do not sit down leave the circuit.
3 years. We paint circles on the floor and show how they should navigate the
space and the marked areas that will be called "the three bears' houses."
4 and 5 years. We let the children themselves go from one area to another
without stepping on the part of the floor that is not one of "the three bears'
houses", unless it is to go to the chairs.
Tips
We can introduce variations, such as entering a box, or drawing a circle on
the ground.

Bentley, D. and Nagy, K.: ' I already know how to dress'. (Surprise books),
Timun Mas.
5 ,4 and 5 years. We will look for two or three spaces that are familiar to the
children so that they can walk through them in single file and with their eyes
closed. We will carefully let them touch tables, chairs, blackboards, etc., until
they identify the space they are traveling through.
5 years. We will ask the guide of each couple to help us create a circuit that
they will have to follow with the child who is blindfolded, c The guide, from a
corner, must give the necessary instructions so that his or her partner does not
collide with the obstacles and reach the goal.
Tips
It can be accompanied by music that relaxes the child who is blindfolded.
The exercise must be done without running and without hindering the
passage of the rest of the children.

Campbell, R.: The Chicken (Surprise Books), Timun Mas.
Company, M. and Aránega, M.: The painterly chickens (The artists' farm),
Timun Mas.
Grindsley, S.: The fine hen and the great layer.In Tales from the Farm
(Stories to Tell), Timun Mas.
68 69
The blind chicken

Tab: Space
Participation: couples
Scenario: spaces in the school that are familiar to children
Goals
• Recognize a space with your eyes closed.
• Learn to navigate a space following some instructions.
Development
We will prepare a space with different obstacles for the children to go
through in pairs. One of the members of the couple He will be blindfolded and
the other will act as a guide.
Feet still
Tab: Space
Participation: large group
Setting: the gym, the patio
Goals
• Interpret simple commands.
• Coordinate hand and foot movements.
Development
We will listen to a melody and while we travel through a space. When the
music stops everyone must remain still without changing their position.
69 69
3 years. It is convenient that they understand that you have to stop when entrance door is located, on which side there are windows (right/left), where
when the music stops. the blackboard is, etc.
4 and 5 years. We suggest that they move representing characters that Tips
they imagine at that moment. The exercise can be modified, taking them to a space in the center less
familiar place (for example, the library) and After observing it for a while,
Tips return to class and together describe what it is like.
The exercise can be varied by introducing instructions; For example,
instead of standing still, we ask them to touch their nose, or sit on the floor, Other stories suitable for the activity
or, when the music stops, to remain motionless leaning on their left foot,
The House of Animals (Surprise Books), Timun Mas.
etc.

Grindley, S. and Ellis, A.: Scared Scarecrow. In Tales from the Farm
(Stories to Tell), Timun Mas. The traveling balloon
Wilkes, A.: The Big Book of Outdoor Activities (Games and Activities),
Timun Mas. Tab: Space
A room with a view Setting: the gym
Goals
Tab: Space
• Demonstrate a sense of balance.
Participation: small group • Be able to perform two actions at the same time (balance and pat a
balloon).
Setting: class
Development
Goals We will prepare a circuit as if it were an obs track tacules. The children
• Remember the most significant details of known spaces. will have to travel a certain distance in which they will have to jump ropes, go
•Participate in solving problems with other classmates. up and down stairs, etc.
During the tour they will pat a balloon that will not have to fall to the
Development ground. If the balloon falls, they must start the journey again.
Children should remember the spaces where they spend most of their time
and describe them as precisely as possible. 3 years. The circuit will be simpler, since you will only travel through space
by patting the balloon.
3 years. At this age we cannot demand a description, but rather we will try
to make them remember the elements that make up the nen, for example, the
4 and 5 years. They will travel the same circuit but with more obstacles.
classroom space.
4 and 5 years. We will ask them to describe what the class is like, where the
70 71
Tips Other stories suitable for the activity

For this activity it would be advisable to ask for the collaboration of the Inkpen, M.: Play Hide and Seek with Wibbly Pig (Libros sor dam), Timun
person who carries out physical education with the children. Mas.
You can replace the balloon with a tray with a glass of water or marbles.

Urberuaga, E.: Riño, Barcanova. Trip to the school center
Inkpen, M.: The blue balloon, Molino.
Tab: Space
Where is it located?
Setting: the different spaces of the center
Tab: Space
Goals
Participation: group • Know the departments that make up the school where you are diamos.
• Prepare the visit as if it were a great adventure.
Setting: class
Goals
• Recognize known spaces through their description.
• Know how to make simple descriptions of known places.
Development
We will hide objects in different places in the class and the children will
have to find them based on the description of the place where they are hidden.
The children, after listening to the description, must be able to find them.
3 years. We will ensure that the places chosen to hide the objects are easily
located. For example: "It's in the box under the window."
4 years. The descriptions will be more complicated and we will introduce

aspects worked on in previous exercises (right/left, up/down, etc.)
5 years. After doing a few exercises, we will ask the children themselves to
make the descriptions.
Tips
It is important to work on vocabulary, since it is possible that many places
may be new to them, especially to 3-year-old children.
72 73
Development
We will prepare a visit to the school so that the children can get to know
it.
3,4 and 5 years. We will organize the visit as if it were a safa ri, that is, we
will have the children dress up as hunters. To do this, we will use brown
packing paper to make some simple The ponchos and hats. On the day of the
activity we can ask for ropes and brooms to assemble a real group of seasoned
wild beast hunters.
Tips
We can request the collaboration of the classes that we are going to visit
tar, suggesting that they prepare something fun to receive the children; for
example, some dance or song.
After visiting the school we can start a conversation with them so they
can explain which spaces they liked the most.

Denou, V.: Teo in the nursery school (Your first Teo books), Timun Mas. graphics where objects, animals, people, etc., of different sizes are
represented, such as an elephant and a mouse, a skyscraper and a little house,
etc.
What is bigger? 3, 4 and 5 years. Through comparisons, children must learn to understand the
expressions "greater than" and "less than"; also, "more than" and "less than."
Tab: Space
Tips
Participation: group We will ensure that during the time the activity lasts you have Keep in
mind the fact of comparing the sizes of things.
Setting: classroom or library We can ask them to bring models of airplanes or other objects. cough so
they can see that they are the same as the real ones but smaller.
Goals
• Know how to compare spaces taking into account their volume. Other stories suitable for the activity
• Establish size comparisons between real things and photographs. Mitton, T.: Rosie's Toys (Little Rosie), Timun Mas.
Development
We will compare known spaces such as the school dining room and the one
at home, or the library and the classroom. We will also compare photo-
74 75
How many can we fit? most individuals inside the hoop and can remain completely still inside, will
be, so to speak, the winner.
Tab: Space
Tips
Participation: group We can vary the exercise by having the groups enter a cardboard box.
Setting: the gym or the school playground Other stories suitable for the activity
Adams, S.: The fantastic book of games (Games and activities), Timun
Goals Mas.
• Knowing how to maintain balance in unfavorable situations.
• Adapt the body to spaces smaller than normal.
Development Take off you, so I can put on

We will remove obstacles that make the activity difficult and place We
row three hoops of the same size on the ground. Tab: Space
3, 4 and 5 years. We will divide the class into three equal groups (if this is Participation: small group
not possible, the remaining children will wait to intervene). nir at another
time). On the floor of the place where we will carry out the activity we will Setting: the gym or the patio
have arranged three rings of the same size. Assign We add a group to each
ring. Each group stands around their Goals
• Coordinate body movement by jumping in a certain direction.
• Coordinate movements taking into account movements cough from
others.
Development
We will remove objects that may hinder the activity.
3 years. We will place a hoop in front of each child (its size is not
important), and at the command "go" the children must jump into each hoop
and remain completely still. When they hear the order again they will jump
back, to stay new motionless mind.
4 and 5 years. We will make a circle with the rings on the floor and inside.
First, all the children will be placed one by one. We will choose towards
hoop and, upon hearing our order, the children in the group will try to enter
the hoop, as many as they can, at the same time. The group that places the
76 77
What direction will we jump, right or left. When the order "go" is given, they place one member of each team on the field with oppositely, next to the box
must jump into the hoop in front of them in the direction we have agreed where the balloons must be placed, to prevent, without using your hands, more
upon, remaining motionless until further orders. balloons from entering.
Tips Tips
With 3-year-old children we can work on right/left and front/back From 4 years old, we can make the activity more difficult by asking them
movements. to go under the rope or jump over it with their feet together. cough, so we will
When 4 and 5-year-old children master this activity, we can complicate have to adjust its height. It is important to warn that members who are in the
it by asking them to make turns in the air, falling in a certain direction or opposite camp should not use violence at any time.
position.
Before doing these exercises we could talk to the person in charge of Other stories suitable for the activity
physical education for advice. Ross,T.: A message for Santa Claus (The Magic Moon), Timun Mas.

Wilkes, A.: The Big Book of Outdoor Activities (Games and Activities),
Timun Mas. Step by step
Tab: Space
Nosy Balloons
Setting: class, gym or anywhere at school
Tab: Space
Goals
Participation: group • Know how to maintain balance with the body in motion.
Setting: the gym Development

We will mark with chalk a line that is as straight as possible or We can take
Goals advantage of the floor tiles. We will place a child at the beginning of the line
• Coordinate movements in small spaces. and we will propose that he advance on it, making the "toe-heel" movement.
Development 3 years. We will ask you to take the route only forward.
With the help of a rope located at a height of half a meter we will divide a
gym space into two equal parts. We will ask the children to blow up balloons 4 and 5 years. As they walk, we will count the steps they take to navigate a
of two different colors, taking into account that there must be one balloon for certain space in the class.
each one. In each of the two parts into which we have divided the gym, we
will place a large cardboard box, which will be used to put the balloons,
distributed independently. criminally in both spaces.
3, 4 and 5 years. We will divide the class into two teams that must collect
the balloons of their color and place them in the box on their field. We will
78 79
1 00 THEATER GAMES IN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION
Tips
We can mark a circuit that covers the entire class and see who takes the
fastest time to travel it without losing balance.
We introduce difficulties into the activity, such as moving our arms as if
they were birds, without looking at the ground, etc.

Adams, G.: The owl learns to fly.In Can you read me a story, please?
(Stories to tell), Timun Mas.
Joint
and diction
80

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Note: With the intention of facilitating reading and not turning the text into something very repetitive

and heavy, the use of the masculine (children, students, teachers,

Cover design: Valerio Viano

© María Teresa Blanch, Antonio Moras, Anna Gasol, 2003

Take off you, so I can put on...........................................76

This book presents a series of one hundred theatrical expression game

• Develop children's ability to enroll in a cul determined ture.

5. Help to know the environment

• Sitting in a circle, we give a series of instructions that allow They will

Some of the exercises in the Breathing and Relaxation Exercises section,

File: Body and movement

Setting: the patio, the hallway

3 years. The children, individually, will walk the path from a

Other stories suitable for the activity

Magic mirror... Look at my 4 years. We stand in front of the students

Goals 5 years. We propose that each pair

Inkpen,M.: Who am I? (The Magic

All the animals in the world

Development three..." to change sides.

Boing, boing! Participation: group

Other stories suitable for the activity

Photo album Setting: the gym, the patio

File: Body and movement Goals

File: Body and movement Tips

3, 4 and 5 years. We will watch in slow motion the transformation of a

Steady pace dancing bodies

Participation: group Participation: group

Setting: class, gym, playground

Participation: individual/small group

5 years. In addition to the previous areas, we introduce feelings of disgust,

Setting: class, gym, playground

Swings Participation: group

Setting: the gym or the patio

Other stories suitable for the activity

Pull the rope!

Participation: small group

Setting: the gym

4 years. In addition to explaining the above, in this case, we will also

5 years. Before carrying out this exercise, we will select a series of

Other stories suitable for the activity

4 years. We will introduce a variation in the game that will consist of

5 years. Following the previous mechanism, we will increase the difficulty

Development Other stories suitable for the activity

Participation: small group Setting: class

One step forward, one step back

The houses of the three bears

Other stories suitable for the activity

Other stories suitable for the activity

The blind chicken

Scenario: spaces in the school that are familiar to children

Participation: large group

Setting: the gym, the patio

Other stories suitable for the activity

A room with a view Setting: the gym

Tips Other stories suitable for the activity

Other stories suitable for the activity

4 years. The descriptions will be more complicated and we will introduce

Other stories suitable for the activity

Development Take off you, so I can put on

Other stories suitable for the activity