Your Own Obstacle Course

from 36 months · 30-40 min · Gross motor

What you need

Put out the cushions, blanket, box, hoop and tape, and tell your child they are the course designer today.
Let them choose where each thing goes and how to get past it: crawl through the box, jump into the hoop, walk the tape line, climb over the cushions.
Ask them to show you the way first, then follow, doing it exactly how they say.
Let them change one thing and go again. If a friend joins in, take turns making up the next rule.

This time they decide how to cross each thing, and watching you follow their rules is half the fun.

Choosing how to move: Crawl, climb, jump or walk: they decide for every part.
Planning and setting out: Fetching each thing and putting it where the plan says.
Making the rules: A course with their rules is a game they made up.

Notice them changing how they cross the cushions after watching you do it.

Keep everything at floor level, with nothing to climb higher than a cushion, and push furniture back so there's space to tumble softly.

Easier: set out three things in a line and let them pick how to cross each one

Harder: add a rule for each part, like hop on the tape or go backwards through the box