Ask Ollie
Penguin Waddle Games
Here's one to try together!
Tuck an egg on your toes, waddle, slide and huddle just like real penguins in a snowy storm!
Reviewed by our team.
Safety first
- A cluttered floor means trips: clear it first
- Belly slide only on the rug or blanket, never near stairs
What you need
- Rolled socks, 1 pair or 1 soft ball per child
- Blanket, 1 rug or blanket
- Phone, 1, for music (optional)
How to do it
Grown-up prep: Clear a patch of open floor and lay down a rug or blanket for belly sliding.
- Clear the ice! Push toys and shoes to the sides of the room.
- Make your penguin egg by rolling up a pair of socks.
- Warm up: waddle around with arms stiff at your sides like flippers.
- Balance your egg on your feet and waddle across the room. Ask: Do you think you can get all the way across without dropping your egg?
- Follow the leader in a long waddling penguin line!
- Belly slide across the blanket like a penguin on the snow.
- Huddle up in a close circle and take turns in the warm middle. Ask: Why do you think penguins take turns standing in the middle?
- Egg race! Waddle to the other side with your egg on your feet.
- Now teach a grown-up to waddle, or play again! How far can your egg travel? Ask: Which penguin game was your favorite, and what should we try next time?
Play it again
- Freeze storm: when the music stops, everyone huddles and freezes until it starts again.
- Egg pass: hand the sock egg foot to foot around the huddle without using hands.
- Slow and steady: the slowest waddler who keeps the egg on wins.
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