Movement skills/concepts

Rotating with a partner, cooperative balancing, rotating through long and horizontal axes at different speeds, body awareness and relationships (with others).

Set-up

Grass, floor or hard area.

Children in pairs, matched approximately for height and weight.

Activity

Clothes line: Partners face each other and each grips both of the other’s wrists. Turn like a revolving clothes line on a mild/windy/gusty day. Now turn like a clothes line that has a heavy load of washing.

Partner log roll: Partners lie on their stomachs facing each other, with arms stretched out above the head. Link hands and roll in the same direction. Keep your body long and straight.

Can you roll …?

• three times in a row
• so that your feet don’t touch the mat
• with your feet locked together instead of your hands
• with a ‘sock’ held between your feet

Eskimo roll: Partner 1 lies on their back; Partner 2 stands facing forwards with their feet near Partner 1’s shoulders. Partner 1 holds Partner 2’s ankles and raises their legs so that Partner 2 can hold each leg above the ankle. Partner 2 leans forward and

places Partner 1’s feet on the floor and performs a forward roll. Partner 1 follows, still holding onto Partner 2’s ankles.

Can you see …?

• controlled movement when rolling with partner
• communication with partner – working together

You could ask …

How do you and your partner work together to perform the partner log roll?

Variations

Snake in the grass: Four children on their stomachs, with straight bodies, lie in a chain on a mat. Each child holds onto the ankles of the child ahead of them. On a signal,  the whole chain rolls over onto their backs and then onto their stomachs.

COOL DOWN/ CLOSURE

Review Skill/Activity, stretching, and questions.