Granny’s Footsteps

Age
3-5 years
Child Development
Social Skills: Patience
Equipment
None
Physical Activity

Vigorous play, developing body control and spatial awareness; cooperative play.

 

How to Play
  1. An adult leader is chosen to be the Granny (or Grandpa) and faces away from the group.
  2. When the Granny ‘goes to sleep’, the children walk slowly and quietly to try and steal the imaginary, special, winter cookies that are in Granny’s bedroom.
  3. If Granny is woken up by too much noise and sees the children moving, ALL children have to run back to the start to stop Granny catching them.
Change it up / Alternatives / Additional Options
  • Make the story fun and engaging! Pretend you hear cars outside that woke you up or mice running around the house. Look out to the kids but don’t chase them.
  • For a child with a disability that limits their balance, provide a support structure for them when they are frozen, such as the wall or an adult.
  • For a child who is hard of hearing, provide visual cues such as holding up a large piece of paper or ball to show when to freeze.
  • For a child who has a visual impairment, provide a noise or sound when the granny turns around and the children have to freeze.
Notes

This game aims to build the fundamental movement skills of: balance and locomotion (running).

Source – Adapted from Maximum Engagement in Games and Activities