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Hot Lava Hop

July 25, 2009 by notjustcute Filed Under: Learning through Play and Experience, Music and Movement, Positive Guidance and Social Skills 3 Comments

liquid hot MAGMA Though few preschoolers have had any direct experience with hot lava, it is a phrase they seem to use frequently, and they all know hot lava should be avoided at all costs!  This is a fun game that capitalizes on that childhood fascination!

I usually tie volcanoes in with my dinosaur unit.  As we talk about the changing earth and the theories of extinction, volcanoes make their way in.  After our volcano discussion, I get the children up for some movement!

Thanks to the magic of childhood imagination, using something as simple as a strand of red yarn does the trick for conjuring up the vivid image of hot lava!  I place the red yarn in a circle on the floor, and the children hop, one by one, over the lava.  After everyone is safely across, I make the circle larger.  We repeat this over and over until the children can hardly jump without catching a heel in the molten puddle.  Of course we all respond to this with great dramatics! 

I have also used this as a transition activity.  After playing for a while, I have children jump over it one by one, until I have a small group formed, then I send them on their way and do it again with another small group!  This hot lava hop is a fun game to play with children and is a great way to build large motor skills, strength, and balance.  So get hopping!

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  1. Preschool Goes Prehistoric with Dinosaurs! « Not Just Cute says:
    August 4, 2009 at 9:46 am

    […] Hot Lava Hop (Large Motor) […]

    Reply
  2. Repost: Preschool Goes Prehistoric with Dinosaurs! | Not Just Cute says:
    January 24, 2011 at 1:10 am

    […] Hot Lava Hop (Large Motor) […]

    Reply
  3. Dinosaur Dig! « Storytime All-Stars says:
    April 20, 2012 at 6:17 pm

    […] Hot Lava and the Dinosaur Dig. These ideas also came from Not Just Cute but I changed the dig to fit my supplies and needs. First, we all get in a line to play Hot Lava. After the last time have the kids jump over the hot lava and go directly to the dinosaur dig. I used an old ladybug sandbox we had lying around filled with Styrofoam peanuts. A box or other container may work as long as the kids can lean over the side to dig. Other types of filler could also work, maybe torn up newspaper or if you’re feeling brave, real sand. The kids are digging for small plastic dinosaurs that I put in the sandbox beforehand. After they find one they go to the table where they can use some art supplies to draw a picture of the dinosaur they found. It’s a good idea to also have books available so the kids can look up the name of their dinosaur. Afterward, I let them take their picture and their dinosaur home. A good idea for the older kids is to have them dig for pieces of an actual dinosaur model then have them work as a team to put it together. […]

    Reply

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I’m Amanda Morgan. Here’s what I’m about…

In early education, there is too much distance between what we know and what we do. I bridge the gaps that exist between academia, decision-makers, educators, and parents so that together, we can improve the quality of early education while also respecting and protecting the childhood experience.

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