Hot Lava Hop

 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!