FREE Lunar New Year: Zodiac Animal Movement Challenge | EYFS & KS1

FREE Early Years (EYFS & KS1) Lunar New Year: Zodiac Animal Movement Activity Challenge Cards

Get your learners moving and grooving this Lunar New Year with our exciting FREE Lunar New Year: Zodiac Animal Movement Challenge Cards! This delightful printable resource is perfect for EYFS and KS1 children, providing a fun and energetic way to learn the story of the Chinese Zodiac and the order of the animals in 'The Great Race'.

Ideal for Preschool, Nursery, School, or for Parents and Childminders at home, these activity cards combine storytelling with physical activity to engage children's bodies and minds.

This fantastic FREE pack features:

• Zodiac Animal Activity Challenge Cards: Each card is dedicated to one of the animals from the Chinese Zodiac.

• Movement-based prompts: The cards include playful instructions that correspond to the animal's character and the story of 'The Great Race'.

  • Example: The '5th Place Dragon' card instructs children to "Prowl and then growl... then... Jump! Jump!"

  • Example: The '4th Place Rabbit' card prompts children to "Crouch down and make small hops... Hop! Hop!"

(Note: Please use your own discretion and knowledge of your children to ensure appropriateness of each activity suggested on this page and safety concerning any materials given and activity undertaken.)

• 💡 How to use this resource in your classroom/setting

  Our FREE Lunar New Year: Zodiac Animal Movement Challenge Cards are incredibly versatile and can be used in a multitude of ways across various early years and KS1 environments:

  • Adult-Led Activity: Use the cards to tell the story of 'The Great Race'. As you introduce each animal, pull out its card and have the children perform the corresponding movement. This is an excellent activity for group time.

  • Child-Led Exploration: Place the cards in a continuous provision area where children can pick a card, read or be told the prompt, and perform the movement. This encourages independence and physical activity.

  • Gross Motor Skill Development: The movements on the cards, such as jumping, hopping, and crawling, are fantastic for developing gross motor skills, balance, and coordination.

  • Storytelling and Sequencing: The cards provide a visual aid to help children remember the order of the animals in the zodiac story. This activity can be a fun way to reinforce the concept of sequencing.

  • Communication and Language: Encourage children to describe the movements they are doing and to make the animal noises.

  • Themed Physical Education: Incorporate the cards into a PE lesson, perhaps as a warm-up or a cool-down activity.

• 🎯 Learning objectives covered - 🐣 EYFS Framework

  EYFS Framework:

  • Physical Development (Gross Motor Skills): Children develop their movement skills, balance, and coordination through the physical actions on the cards.

  • Communication and Language: Children listen to instructions, use new vocabulary related to the animals and their movements, and articulate their experiences.

  • Expressive Arts and Design (Role Play): Children use movement and their imagination to imitate the animals, developing their understanding of the world.

  • Understanding the World (People, Culture & Communities): Children learn about a cultural story and celebration from a different part of the world.

• 🎯 Learning objectives covered - 🐤 KS1 Curriculum

  KS1 Curriculum:

  • Physical Education: Children develop fundamental movement skills, including running, jumping, hopping, and balancing.

  • English (Spoken Language): Children can describe the movements, retell the story of the race, and use language imaginatively.

  • History/Geography (indirectly): A fun and accessible way to introduce a different culture and its traditions.

Download our FREE Lunar New Year: Zodiac Animal Movement Challenge Cards today and bring a joyful, active, and educational experience to your learning space!

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