Time Required:
10 minutes
Tools Required:
- Big chess board
- 1 of each giant piece
Chess Objective(s):
Students will be able to:
- Identify each piece by name
General Objective(s):
- Improve coordination
- Demonstrate teamwork
- Improve listening skills
Description:
Remove anything that is holding the giant board to the ground (tape or tent pegs). Have children stand in a circle around the board and lift it like a parachute. Ask them to keep it high, and place 1 of each giant chess piece in the middle.
Ask children to:
- Swoosh! – quickly bring board down to the ground, so pieces are covered. (Children may squat.)
- Explain to children that you are going to take turns getting the pieces. When you say “Lift!”, everyone raises board into the air.
- Call a child’s name and piece name, like “Rachel, king!” Demo this the first time for them, getting the piece out yourself
- Child should run under the lifted board, grab the right piece, and carry it out of the circle, then grab onto the board again
- Then say “Lower!”, everyone quickly brings board back down
- Repeat till all pieces are removed.
Variation 1:
Repeat the game, but now have the children put the pieces back under the board.
Other Variations:
Have fun!
- Raise and lower it quickly or slowly, varying what you do
- Make waves
- Circle one way, then the other, you can call “change direction!” at random times
- Place a ball or bean bag in the middle and bounce it around (nothing too hard). With the ball, try to roll it to specific players.
- Give each child one of the 6 piece names. When you call the name, those children switch places under the board.
Description for Parents
We used the chessboard like a parachute in this game! We placed giant pieces under the board and then lifted the board up and down. The coach called out a child’s name and asked them to run under and retrieve a specific piece. We also had fun making waves and bouncing balls on the board.