Marvellous Mat Time

---

🔍 Overview

Year Level: Foundation (Prep)
Learning Area: Health and Physical Education
Curriculum Strand: Personal, Social and Community Health
Sub-Strand: Being healthy, safe and active
Content Description (ACARA):
ACPPS003 – Practise personal and social skills to interact with and include others.
ACPPS004 – Identify and describe emotional responses people may experience in different situations.

Lesson Length: 15 minutes
Class Size: 30 students

---

🎯 Learning Intentions

By the end of this short mat session, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate expected behaviours during mat time.
• Describe what respectful listening and turn-taking looks like.
• Recognise personal space boundaries while sitting in a group.

---

✅ Success Criteria

Students will:

• Sit with legs crossed and hands in their laps.
• Keep eyes on the speaker (teacher or classmate).
• Raise a hand to speak and wait their turn.
• Keep their hands and feet to themselves.
• Listen quietly when others are speaking.

---

🧠 Prior Knowledge

Many students will already have practised some group time expectations in the first weeks of school, such as sitting still and listening. This lesson consolidates those behaviours with clarity, visuals, and movement.

---

📦 Resources

• Visuals/posters of expected mat behaviours
• A hand puppet or plush toy (e.g., "Listening Larry" the Koala)
• Behaviour cue cards (eyes looking, hands still, legs crossed, ears listening)
• Floor spots or carpet mat with 30 squares/dots
• A small chime/bell for turn-taking signal
• “Ready for Mat Time” song (teacher to lead with actions)

---

⏱️ Lesson Breakdown (15 Minutes)

⌛ 0:00 – 2:00 | Welcome & Re-settle

• Transition students to the mat using the Ready for Mat Time song (quiet voices, gentle stretching, march to mat).
• As students settle, use positive reinforcement: “I love how Zara is sitting with her legs crossed and eyes on me!”

👀 2:00 – 6:00 | Introduce Expectations – Mat Time Magic 5

Introduce the “Mat Time Magic 5” behaviours using a large visual chart:

1. Legs crossed like a pretzel
2. Ears open and listening
3. Eyes looking at the speaker
4. Lips quiet unless it’s your turn to talk
5. Hands in lap or by your side

• Reveal each behaviour one by one with matching visuals or flashcards.
• As you go, have students mirror back the behaviour. For example:
  • “Show me your crossed legs!”
  • “Can your eyes find my eyes?”

Repeat the language each time: “This is how we show respect and care to our friends.”

Pro tip: Invite "Listening Larry" the Koala out to demonstrate both correct and incorrect ways.

🧸 6:00 – 10:00 | Role Play & Puppet Talk

• Use "Listening Larry" to model a mini conversation on the mat:

  • Larry follows the rules → emphasise what he does well.
  • Then Larry breaks a rule (e.g. interrupts, pokes a neighbour) → ask the class:
    • “Was that respectful? What should Larry do instead?”

• Invite 2-3 volunteers to role-play respectful listening while Larry talks. Praise correct demonstration.

Interactive Moment:

• Students make a “Mat Time” badge with their hands: one hand open (for listening), the other in lap. Silence follows.

🔁 10:00 – 13:00 | Mat Time Memory Game

• Teacher holds up behaviour cue cards quickly — students must act it out immediately (e.g. if ‘hands in lap’ card appears, freeze with hands in lap).
• Add challenge: mix in silly cards (e.g. hopping frog) to build focus and memory skills.

Reinforce correct responses with specific feedback:

• “Awesome control, Mateo! You went straight to listening ears!”

🙌 13:00 – 15:00 | Reflection & Personal Connection

• Ask: “How did it feel when everyone was using their listening ears?”

• Use “Thumbs Up/Down” for quick check-in:

  • “Did you keep your hands to yourself?”
  • “Did you let your friends have a turn to speak?”

• End with a class celebration clap (1-2-3-pat your lap!) and one reminder:
  “Next time on the mat, we show the Mat Time Magic 5!”

---

🔄 Differentiation

• For students with sensory needs: offer a small fidget for hands or a soft boundary mat.
• For EAL/D students: use visuals and simplified English, and model physically.
• Pair peer role models with students who need support.

---

📝 Assessment for Learning

Observational Checklist (Tick as observed during the session):

Name	Legs Crossed	Eyes on Speaker	Quiet Mouth	Hands Still	Took Turns
Student 1	✅	✅	❌	✅	✅
…

Use this anecdotal data to support weekly SEL goals or classroom award systems.

---

🎉 Extension Ideas

• Create a class pledge poster titled “Our Marvelous Mat Time”.
• Partner with Year 6 buddies for a buddy mat game.
• Integrate mat time cues into mindfulness or storytelling sessions.

---

🧠 Teacher Reflection Prompt

“Did each child have a moment of success during the mat session? How might I build consistency and routine around these expectations moving forward?”

---

Prepared with heart for curious young learners in Foundation year — boosting respectful behaviours one mat session at a time.