Preliminary Movements

Unrolling / Rolling a Rug

Materials A rug, placed in a designated location.

Purposes Coordination of Movement

Preliminary Movements

Age 2.5 and up

Presentation: Unrolling
1. Invite child to activity.
2. Naming activity, go to rolled rug storage shelf.
3. Demonstrate rug carrying method:
a. isolate rug by gripping close to one edge with right hand
b. pull and lift to remove from shelf
c. grip close to other edge with left hand
d. hold rug vertically at chest level
4. Ask child to carry to desired location, set rug on floor
horizontally with loose end facing toward body.
5. Kneeling in front of rug, place hands beneath loose end, palms
up, and flip end over rug, away from body to begin.
6. With hands shoulder-length apart, grip rug and tuck thumbs
underneath while keeping other fingers flat and pulling back on
fabric to unravel.
7. As rug stretches to fill space, look over both shoulders for any
obstructions before scooting backwards to further lay rug out.
8. Continue unrolling rug until completely flat on floor.
9. Reverse process and invite child to try steps 5-8.

Rolling
10. Kneeling in front of rug, grip one end between thumbs and
other fingers, with thumbs closest to body and underneath rug.
11. Tuck fingers in while curling rug tightly on top of itself,
rotating thumbs up and away from body as you go.
12. Pull rug towards body with both hands once rolling creates gap.
13. As fabric accumulates, pat sides of rug to ensure even rolling.
14. Repeat steps 11-13, curling until rug is completely rolled up.
15. Stand rug up on one end, grip with both hands close to chest in
same method as carrying rug.
16. Stand from kneeling position with rolled rug in hands.
17. Reverse process and invite child to try steps 10-16.
18. Invite child to practice rolling and unrolling, fade and observe.
19. When cycle of activity is complete, child puts away materials.
 Preliminary Movements
Unrolling / Rolling a Rug

Points of Interest  Size of rug

 Where to hold rug/placement of hands
 Speed of rolling action
 Position of rug flap

Following 1. How to fold a rug

Exercises 2. How to unroll and roll and underlay
3. Getting the rug into and out of its storage container

Pedagogical  This method of unrolling and rolling a rug works with all rugs,
Notes those that have a different front and back and those that don’t.
 You will likely need to give this lesson again throughout the year
to refresh the expectation for rugs.