A preschool movement activity that incorporates balance and cooperation is a beanbag race. Pair students and give each group one beanbag. One student carries the beanbag on his back in a crawling position next to other participants. From one end of the classroom to the other, students will crawl while keeping the beanbag on their backs. When, or if, the bag falls, the partner replaces it and keeps going. After reaching the opposite side of the room, the students reverse roles and the partner becomes the crawler. Encourage all students to successfully travel back to the starting point and discourage the concept of winners and losers in the game.
In an open area of the classroom, invite students to dance in a method of their choosing to any upbeat song. When the music stops, all students must freeze in the last dancing position. Normally, when a student moves after the music stops, they would be "out" of the game, but in a preschool classroom it is appropriate to encourage them to continue participating instead of sitting out. The teacher may choose to identify moving students in an entertaining manner and congratulate all of them each time the music stops pertaining to how creative their movements are.
Play an appropriate song centered around a jungle theme and encourage students to move like jungle animals. Students may prowl like a tiger or slowly crawl on the floor to show the way that elephants walk. Jungle birds fly high overhead and students may pretend to soar by holding their arms out to the side and moving in a gliding fashion, using caution not to accidentally hit someone else. Use or adapt the activity when integrating animal thematic units into the classroom.
Sing songs during transition times to keep students focused on clean up and moving to the next activity. Teachers often create their own songs to traditional nursery rhyme tunes on topics such as clean up songs, washing hands, gathering on the alphabet rug and getting ready for nap. Transitional songs are available, cost-free, on the Internet (see Resources). Singing the songs not only will ensure smooth transitions, but will also reduce any negative child behaviors.