Create a backyard obstacle course with playful challenges to get you moving and giggling.
What You Need:
- Ball
- Laundry basket or bucket
- Two chairs
- String, yarn, or ribbon
- Sidewalk chalk or tape
What You Do:
- Set up your backyard obstacle course with these challenges. Add a few of your own.
- Run through your obstacle course. Have someone time you. Repeat to improve your speed and coordination.
- Crab Racer Challenge: Lie on your back and push yourself up with your hands and feet. Scamper like a crab to the next challenge.
- Don’t Drop the Ball Challenge: Put a small ball between your legs. Walk to a basket without dropping the ball. Drop the ball in the basket using your knees.
- Wiggle Worm Challenge: Tie a string (or yarn or ribbon) to 2 chairs high enough to crawl under. Lay on your tummy and wiggle like a worm under the string.
- Bee Balanced Challenge: Make a line on the ground using sidewalk chalk or masking tape. Walk with one foot in front of the other to stay on the line.
- Hop to It Challenge: Cross your feet and cross your arms like you are hugging yourself. Without uncrossing your arms or feet, hop to the finish line.
Words to Use:
- Obstacle: Something that makes it difficult to achieve something.
- Coordination: The way your muscles move together.
- Endurance: The ability to do something challenging for a long period of time.
- Balance: Steadiness. Not wobbly.
What to Talk About:
- Estimate how long it will take to complete the course.
- Which challenge was hardest for you? Which was easiest?
- How could we make the course more challenging?
Change It Up:
- Age It Down: Engage in each challenge together. Make it collaborative instead of competitive.
- Age It Up: Add additional challenges to the course. Race against a timer.
Learning Connections:
- Persistence
- Collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Gross Motor Development
- Physical Activity
Curriculum Connections:
NC Standard Course of Study
- Physical Education: K.MS.1, 1.MS.1, 2.MS.1, 3.MS.1, 4.MS.1, 5.MS.1, K.MC.2, 1.MC.2, 2.MC.2, 3.MC.2, 4.MC.2, 5.MC.2, K.HF.3, 1.HF.3, 2.HF.3, 3.HF.3, 4.HF.3, 5.HF.3
- Health Education: 1.NPA.3, 2.NPA.3