Obstacle Course (Locomotor)
Obstacle courses can be modified to focus on one or multiple fundamental movement skills. You can adapt the length of your course to suit your child. Allow children to be creative and create their own obstacle courses.
Set up
Set up one, or a number of obstacle courses in any appropriate space in your area. Get creative with any equipment you have around your house. Chalk, monkey bars, cushions, skipping ropes, boxes, streamers stuck to a doorframe, soft toys/small bags of rice can be used as beanbags to balance on your head, and toys can all be used to help build an obstacle course.
How to play
Step 1:
- Think of ways to develop your child's balance, running, jumping, hopping or even skipping. Don't be afraid to use equipment you might have around the house;
- Boxes can be used to climb over, skipping ropes can be used to balance on or practice jump rope, pillowcases can be used as a jumping sack! Place soft toys in a zig-zag formation to develop your child's agility as they collect all the toys as fast as they can.
- The more creative and dynamic, the better!
Step 2:
- Build the course, incorporating as many or as little fundamental movement skills as you like
- Let your child have a play - time them, race against each other, or with each turn, give them a new locomotor skill to try
Step 3:
- Once you have finished with a course, build another with your child - use this time to allow them to think creatively and show you what they like!
Variations
Make it easier
- Make courses shorter
- Make the focus of your course a simple fundamental movement skill, such as balance
Make it harder
- Incorporate multiple fundamental movement skills into your course, such as jumping for height, skipping with a rope, and running between obstacles
- If it suits your child, time them and see if they can beat their previous times!
Activity information
Age: 2-3 years, 3-5 years, Kindergarten, Pre-Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3
Participants: 1
+
Equipment: Cushions (optional), Hoops (optional), Chalk (optional), Soft toys (optional), Beanbags (optional), Skipping ropes (optional), Pillowcase (optional)
Duration: 10 minutes
Skill focus
Explore these skills for teaching tips
Activity summary
Physical literacy tips
- Use things you know your child enjoys - if they like imaginative play, incorporate a story that helps engage them
- The more creative you can be with everyday equipment laying around your house, the better! It will encourage your child to think creatively when playing independently
- Use a larger space if you have one, but an indoor space will still work well
- Play music as you complete or build the course to engage your child
