Cross the River
What you need
- a blanket as the river
- four or five firm cushions as stepping stones
How to do it
- Lay the blanket on the floor as the river and set the cushions across it as stepping stones.
- Ask your child how they'll get across: walking, crawling, jumping or tiptoeing?
- Let them try their way, then try a different way back.
- Move a cushion further away and ask if they need a new plan.
Why it matters
Choosing how to cross is their own plan to test, and every new gap needs a new idea.
What they're learning
- Planning a move
- Looking at a gap and choosing how to cross it.
- Balance
- Stepping from cushion to cushion without a wobble into the river.
- Trying another way
- A new plan when the stones move.
What to look for
Notice them stopping to look at a gap before they choose how to cross it.
A tip
Use flat, firm cushions on carpet so they don't slide, and keep the river away from furniture edges.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: put the cushions close together and hold a hand
Harder: cross carrying a soft toy, so only one hand is free for balance
