The Bean Game
Runner bean, jumping bean, jelly bean, broad bean, frozen bean. A call-and-move game that needs nothing and works in a classroom.
Overview
You need
No equipment needed
Skills developed
- Locomotor: running, jumping, wobbling on the spot
- Listening: quick responses to a call
- Body control: changing speed and size
NEL Framework: Motor Skills Development.
Set up
1Step 1
Children find a space. Coach at the front.
2Step 2
Teach the beans one at a time, then start calling.
ChildTagger / team BCoachHoopSpotConeBallBeanbagRope or lineMarked areaWhere they move
How to play
- Teach three beans first and play with just those. Add one more bean each round until they know them all.
- RUNNER BEAN: jog on the spot. JUMPING BEAN: jump up and down. JELLY BEAN: wobble your whole body. FROZEN BEAN: freeze still.
- BROAD BEAN: stand with feet apart and arms stretched out sideways, as wide as you can go. STRING BEAN: feet together, both arms stretched straight up, as tall and thin as you can go. Do these two one after the other so they feel the difference.
- BAKED BEAN: crouch down and curl up small.
- Call out a bean, everyone does it, then call the next one. Shout them in a different order each time and get faster as they get better.
- Once they know all the beans, let a child stand at the front and be the caller.
Tips for explaining
"Bigger!" For broad bean and string bean, exaggerate the shape.
"Quiet feet for jumping beans." Land softly.
Make it easier / harder
EasierThree beans only: runner, jumping, frozen.
HarderTwo calls in a row to remember and do in order.
Safety
Space between children before you start. Jelly bean gets wild: keep it short.
More warm-ups & tag games
Traffic LightsGreen means go, amber means walk, red means freeze. The simplest listening-and-moving game...Stuck in the MudA tag game where tagged children stand "stuck" with legs apart and get freed when a friend...Animal WalksCross the room as a bear, crab, frog, kangaroo or snake. Big, silly, whole-body movement t...Shadow TagTag by stepping on someone's shadow. No touching at all, so it suits a group that gets too...
Rather we ran it for you?
This is one of the games our coaches run in pre-schools every week, with our own equipment. Weekly enrichment, sports days, or a whole holiday programme for your centre, planned in one message.