← Back to Under 5s Games
🔍
Giant and Small
Children stand tall for big things and crouch small for little things teacher names.
⏱ 5-10 min⚡ Medium energy👥 Whole class
📚 Vocabulary
• big
• small
• giant
• tiny
• tall
• short
• large
• little
🛠 Materials
• No materials needed
• Optional: pictures of big and small things
📋 How to Play
- Teach the two actions — stand on tiptoes with arms up for BIG, crouch down small for SMALL.
- Practise together a few times.
- Teacher calls out an object — "An ELEPHANT!"
- Children must decide — is an elephant big or small?
- Children perform the correct action.
- Confirm together — "Yes! An elephant is BIG!"
- Continue with a mix of big and small things — ant, house, apple, mountain.
- Speed up to make it harder.
💡 Teacher Tips
✓This teaches size vocabulary through total physical response — very effective for this age.
✓Use objects from the lesson vocabulary wherever possible.
✓Add MEDIUM as a third option for more advanced groups.
✓Children love the physical contrast between the giant stretch and tiny crouch.
🔄 Variations
→Fast and slow — stand tall for fast things, crouch for slow things.
→Hot and cold — hug yourself for cold, fan face for hot.
→Happy and sad — smile big for happy things, frown for sad things.
Want full 50-minute lesson plans for Under 5s?