Winter Movement Fun

Curriculum Area and Level

Learning Area: Health and Physical Education
Curriculum Level: Te Whāriki – Early Childhood Education (ECE)

Big Idea

Physical movement helps tamariki develop coordination, balance, and confidence, particularly through activities related to seasonal experiences.

Learning Outcome

By the end of this lesson, tamariki will:

• Explore movement patterns inspired by winter (hotoke) activities.
• Develop gross motor skills such as jumping, balancing, and reaching.
• Participate in collaborative movement play.

Materials Needed

• Blue fabric or paper to represent "ice"
• Foam balls or rolled-up socks to act as "snowballs"
• Music (preferably slow, flowing sounds for winter theme)

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Lesson Structure (15 Minutes)

1. Warm-Up: Winter Animals (3 minutes)

Tamariki will imitate different winter animals to warm up their bodies.

• Teacher calls out an animal, and tamariki move like them:
  • Penguin Waddle – Stand feet together and waddle side to side.
  • Polar Bear Crawl – Walk on hands and feet slowly.
  • Hopping Rabbit – Two-footed jumps forward.

Transition Statement: "Our bodies are getting warm, just like animals that move around to stay cosy in winter!"

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2. Ice-Skating on the Frozen Lake (4 minutes)

Pretend play on the "ice!"

• Spread out blue fabric or large paper on the ground to represent a frozen lake.
• Tamariki glide across it (walking heel-toe) as if ice-skating.
• Teacher encourages controlled movements:
  • "Can you twirl in a circle?"
  • "Can you skate fast, then slow?"
  • "Can you hold hands and glide together?"

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3. Snowball Toss (4 minutes)

• Tamariki work in pairs tossing soft “snowballs” (foam balls or socks) to each other.
• Adjust the distance based on ability.
• Encourage eye-hand coordination and gentle throwing.
• Optional: Play a slow-motion game where tamariki “float” the snowballs through the air like falling snow.

Extension Challenge: “Who can toss their snowball into a target (hoop or bin)?”

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4. Cool-Down: Snowflake Stretch (4 minutes)

Slow, gentle stretches and breathing to calm bodies.

• Floating Snowflakes – Reach arms high, then slowly move them down, pretending to be falling snow.
• Icicle Stretch – Stand tall with arms straight up like an icicle, then melt (bend down).
• Winter Wind Breathing – Deep breaths in and out, pretending to blow frost into the air.

Closing Reflection Question: “What was your favourite winter movement today?”

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Teacher Notes

• Adapt movements based on student abilities.
• Keep instructions simple and visual.
• Encourage imagination and expressive movement.

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This lesson integrates movement with seasonal understanding, making physical activity enjoyable while reinforcing coordination. Tamariki will love pretending to be winter explorers while engaging in gross motor play. ❄️