The magic carpet is a fun and cooperative activity to be carried out in the early education phase, that is, in the first school levels. The group nature of this technique makes this activity one of the favorites, both for children and for early education specialists. But, the particular interest of this technique is that it helps children reduce stress, also strengthening participation and building social ties . The mechanics of this fun exercise allow you to work in a group, to forge bonds of solidarity and mutual respect and trust, as well as for children to become more tolerant and empathetic.
Play encourages the execution of this relaxing activity , and this is very important, since young children play most of the day, so they will be much more interested in participating in something that promotes play and exercise . Then, taking advantage of this strength, specialists through observation can identify the behavioral traits of children that interest them most simply by participating in the activity.
But this is not all that the so-called “magic carpet technique” can offer us, and below we will point out some points and some more guidelines to be able to carry it out.
Knowing the magic carpet technique
The magic carpet game takes place under an imaginary environment, always under the direction of an older person who in this case would be a teacher. The game is made up of 8 children, of which one of them will pretend to be the magic carpet . From that moment on, the technique is developed carefully complying with the following steps:
- Choose a place in the classroom that the children like and that meets basic requirements, such as: that is cozy and that is clean and / or that is spacious and does not have other furniture or objects obstructing the passage.
- It is very important that the instructions are detailed in a clear and simple way, warning of the necessary collaboration and help from all. Sometimes some of the children may adopt the option of not participating, so if this happens, try not to pressure and look for an additional alternative to participate in another way, such as writing down the rules on the board or marking the rhythms of the activity under the teacher’s instructions.
- Choose a child to be the rug or better let them volunteer. It is important to be careful, especially if the child’s constitution is not too strong, since the child who pretends to be the mat will have to lie on his back and, around him, the other participants will be positioned as follows:
- – Two are placed on each side of the legs (right and left side).
- – Two more are placed at waist level, this time one on each side (left and right).
- – The other two at arm level in the same location as the previous one.
- – And the last participant stands behind the head.
- Each child, from their location, must kneel to proceed to lift the child who is lying down (the magic carpet) in a very slow and gentle way, since this will be one of the keys to the recreation of the carpet (make as if he were flying) . The recommended height for lifting is about 10 to 20 centimeters from the ground , since it tries to promote relaxation in a safe way. At this point in the game, it is necessary to have reinforced the values of responsibility and respect for others, in such a way that no child is hurt.
- At the moment of elevation each child must remain silent for at least 30 seconds. If the children could not hold the estimated time, 10 seconds would be enough, yes, always in silence. If you see that they will not be able to do this activity safely, look for a nice carpet or fabric that may be useful to do the same exercise but without a child doing the representation.
- Once the objective is achieved, the idea is to integrate the team. All participating children will need to be on the mat, at least once, to experience the sensation of flying.
After the first round, if there has been a child who has shown reluctance to participate, you can ask it again. This relaxation and teamwork technique, especially for children, allows them to have fun and dream (so it is essential that everyone feels comfortable and integrated), and that teachers make notes that reveal important skills of children. Some of the traits that can be noted are the fulfillment of the instructions, the relationship between them or the mood.
It is an activity, in short, ideal to disconnect or to do between class and class or at the end of the day. Children who blow up the carpet have fun and disconnect from their worries, and the child who makes the carpet can leave their mind blank and reduce stress in a very entertaining way . The carpet can also represent that weight that we often carry, and the way in which we must make it fly so that it does not hinder our rhythm in life. By the time the game is over, the teacher should try to encourage all the participants and give them words of encouragement, as this will make them feel proud and eager to fly the magic carpet every day.
