Obstacle courses are a great way to work on balance, coordination and motor planning skills for young kids. You can play to your child’s strengths while addressing areas that need work in the same activity. Parts of the course can be adjusted for more challenges depending on who is navigating through the course. There are endless ways to create obstacle courses, making them fun and engaging for kids! You can incorporate sensory tools and household objects for an effective and therapeutic activity. Get started with obstacle courses with the following simple steps.
Step 1: Identify motor and cognitive skills that you want to address
Begin by seeing which skills are strengths for your child and areas that need some additional practice. By combining both stronger and weaker skills in one course, you can ensure that the obstacle course is not too challenging and will still maintain your child's interest. If the steps are too hard, too easy or too complex, it may discourage your child from participating. Examples of skill areas you may want to consider include:
- cognitive skills such as sequencing, following directions or motor planning
- gross motor skills such as balance, strength, coordination or specific motor tasks
- fine motor skills such as grasp, manipulation or handwriting
- sensory processing skills
Step 2: Plan specific activities for your obstacle course that target the identified skill areas
Brainstorm with your child to develop lists of fun activities to include in your obstacle course. You can begin by identifying a theme your child enjoys (for example, pirate adventures), and then choosing activities that fit that theme (for example, walk the plank). Next, identify activities that specifically address areas to improve. Aim for 3-5 activities for children under age 5 or who struggle with sequencing. Older kids or those who can follow challenging sequences may benefit from 5-10 activities. Remember to include a mix of easier and more challenging steps in the obstacle course.
Step 3: Collect materials to build your obstacle course
Use a mix of multipurpose sensory tools and common household items to build your obstacle course. Spot Markers and Balance Stepping Stones are great for designating a path to follow and working on sequencing. Increase the challenge by having your child squat at each spot marker to pick up a small object, then toss it into a basket. Targeting multiple skills at once is a great way to use the same obstacle course for kids with different ability levels– just change the instructions for each child.
Jumping off the couch or pillows is an easy way to provide safe crashing input, even if you don’t have space for a full Crash Mat. Designate pathways for various animal walks to do while wearing a Space Explorer for added resistance. Use visual cues that depict how to perform each movement to promote children’s motor planning skills.
Don’t be afraid to get creative with the materials you use to design your obstacle course!
Step 4: Practice and describe each step to your child
Give the obstacle course a practice run. Walk through the course with your child to make sure they understand the order and directions for each activity. You can label the stations in number order for some initial support. For children who have difficulty with motor planning and sequencing, this can provide you with an opportunity to give them cues or ideas of how to complete the tasks. You may need to repeat these cues throughout the obstacle course. There are many ways to grade activities so that they are harder or easier, depending on what your child has mastered to keep the course at that “just right” level.
Step 5: Enjoy your obstacle course!
Who said this activity is just for kids? Run through the obstacle course with your child. For an added challenge, consider using a stopwatch to time how quickly your child can complete the course. Encourage siblings and peers to participate in the obstacle course as well.
What are some aspects of development to address?
The following areas of development are a good starting point for you to look at when pinpointing skills to improve. Mix and match these aspects of development to build your obstacle course. The examples are just some of the ways to target each skill.
Cognition
Kids need cognitive skills in order to plan activities and follow verbal or written directions. Involve them in designing the obstacle course and provide instructions for them to put it together. This also exercises their motor planning skills, as they need to figure out how to efficiently put each step into action.
You can challenge your child’s sequencing skills by encouraging them to remember what order to do things in without any cueing. Incorporate matching, ordering and cognitive activities, like math problems and shape recognition, into the obstacle course as well.
Balance
There are many ways to include balance into an obstacle course. Create a narrow path for your child to walk along between obstacles. Make it harder by having them walk blindfolded. Use Balance Blocks for them to walk on uneven surfaces, challenging their balance skills even more. The Balance Trainer and Cards are full of ideas to improve balance as well.
Strengthening
Animal walks are a great way to exercise a variety of muscles, and you can adjust it to match your child’s abilities. Carrying heavy items, such as books, or moving a Weighted Pushcart from one spot to another, requires strong core muscles to maintain balance and carry the weight.
Coordination
Coordination plays a major role in countless daily tasks, such as getting dressed, eating, walking and writing. You can use the Monster Bean Bag Toss to work on hand-eye coordination as your child tries to get the bean bags in the target. Running around cones and jumping through Obstacle Course Tires are also fun ways to develop better coordination skills. Jumping jacks require more coordination than you think, so you can break down the steps for your child if they need more help.
Fine Motor
While people often think of obstacle courses as focused on gross motor skills, there are many ways to include fine motor activities too. Set up a station for your child to unearth all the hidden pieces in Discovery Putty. Have them zip, snap and tie all the parts of the Mini Me Dressing Vest. Depending on their skill level, give them a picture to trace or word to write on the Light Up Writing Board.
Remember, not every activity has to be solely about therapy and goal improvement. Having fun and enjoying time with your child in active play is equally important!
Check out our equipment and tools to make the ultimate obstacle course.
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