Welcome to My Castle

Welcome to My Castle
Young royals will revel in activities fit for a
prince or princess!
Group Area
Three-Story Tower
The interchangeable stacking elements of the
PLAYMOBIL My First 1.2.3 Knight’s Castle make
the castle perfect for teaching the positional
words top, middle, and bottom. Connect the
castle columns to make a three-story tower and
place it in your group area. Point to each section
of the tower and identify it as the top, the middle,
or the bottom. Then, put the princess in the tower.
Speaking for her, call out, “Mr. Knight, Mr.
Knight, where are you?” “Gallop” the horse and
knight near the tower. Then, speaking for the
knight, say to the children, “I heard the princess
call. Do you know where is she?” Prompt students
to tell the knight whether the princess is in the
top, the middle, or the bottom of the tower. Have
the knight say to the princess, “I’ll be back to
rescue you soon!” and gallop away. Then, place
the princess in the tower at a different level and
repeat the scenario.
To continue the learning, try the following suggestions:
•For younger students, make a two-story tower and practice the
positional words top and bottom.
•Discuss with students how buildings and houses often have several
floors, or levels. Point to each section of the tower and identify it
as the first floor, the second floor, or the third floor. Then, modify
the language and repeat the activity.
© 2013 Playmobil®. Text and design by The Education Center, LLC
www.playmobilusa.com
Math Center
Peekaboo!
Understanding the concepts of left and right can be challenging
for preschoolers, but the PLAYMOBIL My First 1.2.3 Knight’s Castle
provides lots of playful practice. Assemble the castle with only two
columns (one on each side of the doors) and place it in your math
center facing students. Standing in the same position as your students,
point to each window and identify it as the window on the left or the
window on the right; then, point to each window again and have
students identify its position.
After several rounds of practice, introduce the princess and explain
that her favorite game is peekaboo. To play, pop the
princess up in the left window and say, “Peekaboo!”
Then ask, “Where’s the princess?” prompting youngsters
to say, “She’s in the left window!” Repeat with the right
window. Continue for lots of giggle-inducing practice!
To extend the activity, try the
following suggestions:
•Stand the princess in one window and
the knight in the other. Ask children
to tell who is in the left window and
who is in the right window. Instruct
youngsters to close their eyes; then, switch the figures or
leave them alone. Have students open their eyes and tell
each figure’s position.
•Invite a child to “gallop” the horse and knight around the
castle. Then, instruct the student to stop the horse on the left
side or the right side of the castle.
•Instruct a child to help the knight open the castle’s left door
or right door for the princess to enter.
© 2013 Playmobil®. Text and design by The Education Center, LLC
www.playmobilusa.com
Literacy Center
What Do You See?
Put the PLAYMOBIL My First 1.2.3 Knight’s Castle and the
PLAYMOBIL 1.2.3 Forest Animal Park in your literacy center
and engage little ones in this fun language activity! Place the
princess in the castle and position the castle so it’s facing the
animal park. Invite a child to be the voice of the princess.
Then say, “Princess, Princess, what do you see?” Prompt
the princess to say, “I see a ______ looking at me!” and
have her insert the name of an animal or person from the
animal park. Continue the activity, inviting other students to
be the voice of the princess. Then, place the knight in the
castle and ask, “Knight, Knight, what you see?” Repeat the
activity with students answering in the voice of the knight.
To extend the activity, try the following
suggestions:
•Set out the castle along with the PLAYMOBIL My
Take Along 1.2.3 Noah’s Ark or the PLAYMOBIL
1.2.3 Take Along Barn for expanded play options.
•Give each child a sheet of paper programmed
with the question “Princess, Princess (or Knight,
Knight), what do you see?” and the incomplete
sentence “I see a _____________ looking at me!”
Write each child’s response in the blank space;
then, encourage the student to illustrate the words.
Bind the pages together to make a class book
titled “What Do You See?”
•Place the castle in your group area. Have
youngsters take turns being the voice of the
princess or knight and respond to the question
by saying “I see _______ looking at me!”,
inserting the name of a classmate or teacher.
© 2013 Playmobil®. Text and design by The Education Center, LLC
www.playmobilusa.com
Literacy Center
Cross Over the Moat
The PLAYMOBIL My First 1.2.3 Knight’s Castle and the
colorful moat pattern (scroll down) are perfect for introducing
new vocabulary! Put the castle and moat in your literacy
center; then, place a cardboard rectangle (drawbridge)
across the moat. Invite several children to join you, directing
their attention to the moat. Explain that a moat is a wide
ditch usually filled with water and that it typically surrounds
a structure like a castle. Then direct students’ attention to the
drawbridge. Explain that a drawbridge can be raised to stop
someone or something from reaching or leaving the castle, or
it can be lowered to allow passage. Next, walk the knight (or
princess) toward the bridge, stopping as you raise the bridge
and sing the first verse of the song below. Then, as you lower
the bridge and move the figure over the moat to the castle, sing
the second verse. Repeat the activity, inviting youngsters to take
turns manipulating the props.
(sung to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell”)
The drawbridge rises up.
The drawbridge rises up.
You must wait to cross the moat.
The drawbridge rises up.
The drawbridge comes back down.
The drawbridge comes back down.
Use the bridge to cross the moat.
The drawbridge comes back down.
To extend the activity, try the following
suggestions:
•Have the PLAYMOBIL 1.2.3 Pony Wagon and
the PLAYMOBIL 1.2.3 Motor Bike cross over the
moat to the castle.
•Have the PLAYMOBIL 1.2.3 Mother and Baby
with Stroller cross over the moat to visit the
castle.
•Use the PLAYMOBIL 1.2.3 Coastal Search
and Rescue set to monitor the moat and keep
everyone safe.
© 2013 Playmobil®. Text and design by The Education Center, LLC
www.playmobilusa.com
www.playmobilusa.com
© 2013 Playmobil®. Text and design by The Education Center, LLC