The Smartest Giant in Town. 1: The smart new clothes

The first part of a unit of movement/dance sessions exploring Julia Donaldson's famous picture book.

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

In the first session the children follow the adventures of the amiable giant, George, who buys himself some smart new clothes.

Warm up: skipping around the space, freezing in a small, curled up mouse shape, skipping again, then freezing in a tall, giant shape.
Walking as George the giant: taking large, heavy steps, walking tall. George’s happy jig: kicking out legs and hopping from one foot to another.
The sad giraffe: taking stiff, straight-legged steps on tip-toes. Reaching one arm up high, then down low (as though this is the giraffe’s long neck).
Wrapping a scarf around the giraffe: working in pairs. One person is the giraffe, the other is George, skipping quickly around them in a circle.
A jig and a skip: building upon the jigging sequence. Alternating between jigging on the spot – hands on hips, kicking out legs and hopping from one foot to another - and skipping around the space, making a curvy pathway.
The sail blows gently: swaying gently, arms outstretched, backwards and forwards on the spot.
The sail blows away in the storm: repeating the swaying action above, but moving more and more vigorously; then moving off quickly around the room, rising and dipping, as though being carried by the wind.
A jig, a skip and a clap: building upon the jigging sequence. First jigging – hands on hips, kicking out legs and hopping from one foot to another, then skipping - making a curvy pathway, then clapping - in time to the music.
Cool down: relaxing and taking deep breaths.